A team too LARJ
by Johno 343
Summary: Four students, four different weapons. Meet the members of team Larj, as they work together...and supposedly...stir trouble. No OCxCanon pairing...at least i don't think so.
1. Chapter 1

Hello Everyone, Johno 343 and I;m doing a RWBY collaboration with a good friend from Mangafox, Everyone new OC you will see will have their own Story line and will slight to medium cross with canon Characters. Please review, feedback is always accepted!

Disclamier: The Anime series 'RWBY' is owned by Monty Oum, the sound track included in this chapter (And maybe other chapter in the future are own by their respective creators.

"But dad!" Regular Speech

'I don't Care!' Regular Thoughts

Arc 1: The shining Beacon Chapter 1: Whip & Hammer

* * *

Remnant.

(Insert music: cold play: Every tear fall is a waterfall)

For as long history could tell us, this land was in total darkness, creatures of the darkness with souls - known as Grimm - rule over the world...us humans were living in fear, running from them, until we decided to take a stand against them.

We grew.

We evolved.

We became greedy.

We divided.

All because of our world's natural element: Dust.

But...that is human nature, to plunder and to lie to each other...isn't it?

* * *

**Remnant, Vale, Emerald City (Near the forest) east, January 26****th****, AW 675**

"So today's the day, huh?" A young man with dark brown hair watched as the last airship rose into the clear blue sky "And I happen to miss the last ship... great." the last word rolled on as he eyed the ship as it became a tiny dot. Fixing his blue vest and short white scarf he grabbed his whip that was attached on his side with his leather gloved hands. "I really hate doing this...but there is no other way."

Lifting up his heavy bag he slung over his shoulders as he looked at the forest. "Well...I could lose my life, but then again...I'm a Velmón."

As the man named 'Velmon' walked towards the dense and lush forest several cries met his ears as he turned around. A couple ran towards him with fear in their eyes.

"Wait, do you have any ideas what are you doing?!" the man cried out, panting he leaned over to catch his breath.

"Indeed. I'm about to enter the Emerald Forest...why do you ask?" The brown haired man asked questioningly as he crossed his arm over his chest "I am really running late."

"That forest holds dangerous Grimms and who knows what else?" the lady said as she rubbed her husband's back.

"Yes...I've heard about that...but it is of no concern to me...I've faced many creatures of dark." Velmón sighed "If you would excuse me...I have to attend the opening ceremony for Beacon."

"Beacon!?" the couple shouted "You mean...you are a hunter?"

"Yes..." he looked at the place where the air-ship had been seconds ago.

"If I may be so blunt…you don't look the part..." the lady mumbled. Not wasting any more time Velmon turned around and had entered to forest.

"What's your name young man?"

"...My name is Juge Velmón...the successor of the Velmón Family." A small smirk appeared on his face as he watched the two's surprised faces. "Try to remember it… please have a good day."

He took steady long steps through the deep grass. "Well... it's not every day you see the successor of the Velmón household around here. But then again..." he squinted his eyes as he saw a faint outline of a very large cluster of buildings. "It's an everyday thing at a place like Beacon."

* * *

**Remnant, Vale, Okki Village Outskirts, near Forever Fall, January 26****th****, AW 675**

"Hammer wrapped up and suppressed: check."

"Bag full of good, valuables and prized possessions: Check.

"Clothes: check."

"Book: check"

"Other stuff...check!" the boy with half-long, brown hair exclaimed. His eyebrows are thick. He has dark eyes. Wearing a lose black shirt and cargo pants as zipped up his large bag. "Mum, Dad... I'll be going now!"

"Make us proud dear, and don't forget what you promised us!" his mum called out as she shuffled into the room, giving him a warm hug. His dad looked and nodded at him.

"Akashi Mayhiro...you have made me and your mother proud, getting into beacon is a feat in itself. Have pride that you are going to stand with the cream of the crop...maybe the cherry if you're lucky."

"No...I will become the best of the best...I designed my weapon for that purpose." Akashi lifted up his hammer. His mother shook her head.

"Not even your farther could hold it in his two arms...yet here you are." Kissing him on the cheek she gave him a warm smile "Now go and do your best Akashi."

"Yeah...you bet." the brown hunter in training nodded as he exited his room and opened the door "The next time you'll see me... is when they declare me Beacons top freshmen!"

Akashi had a huge grin on his face before closing the door behind him "Thank god Beacon is close to my home...Lucky~~!" Akashi tightened the grip on his large bag; his weapon was strapped to his back diagonally as well.

"Come what may...Grimms, Students...anyone for the matter: I'll defeat them and become the best!" he shouted as he ran into the red forest.

Both Akashi parents watched him enter the deadly woods, his mother looked worried, however a warm hand clasped her shoulder, turning around she saw her husband looked at her. "Have faith in our son. He may be lazy, but when it comes to it...he's reliable when it counts.

"...I hope so… still, I can't help myself but to worry about him."

"He's our son: have faith in him."

(End music)

* * *

**Remnant, Vale, Airship to Beacon, January 26****th****, AW 675**

"Look over there...is that?" one of the passengers whispered.

"It is...but what is she doing here!?" his friend whispered back.

A pretty teenager with long hair walked passed them. Her blonde hair which turned slightly blue at the dangling tips noticed and glanced at them with her bluish green eyes to meet theirs. They hastily looked away, but too late.

"That's Risa Inari, a royal Faunus." the first one whispered "I heard that she became an orphan...after some kind of accident involving Grimms." Her fox like ears twitched as she turned towards them.

"...Speak of that again, and you will face the consequences." she said in a deathly tone. The second one laughed nervously, making her even angrier.

"What's that!? What is a Faunus going to do, shed on me-!?" the boy yelled as a loud impact met his ears, flinching in fear he looked up to Risa, who was holding onto a thin string which traveled towards a much more large spear with a dragon's head on it. Pulling back the staff returned to her hand before collapsing into a small pole.

"Don't ever take me lightly..." she hissed before turning around "People who weren't there have no right to speak about it." casting one more glance at them she walked off. More students entered to room to see what was the noise was about and were looking at Risa as they walked by.

"Idiots." Risa grunted as the watched Beacon Academy come closer. Her frown soon turned into a confident grin. "I'll get stronger...then I will able to punish those Grimms!"

"Ara~~ why are you talking to yourself~?" her fox ear twitched again as she spotted a girl with long light red hair. A pair of black headphones covered her ears as she was munching on a banana; her blue soulless eye stared at Risa with her irises in the shape of blue squares.

'She must be wearing some contacts' thought the Faunus girl.

Her attire consisted of a black jacket and a red skirt, accompanied by thigh high socks. "People will think you're crazy if you talk aloud like that Risa~" she said in a bored yet happy voice "Oh...I finished my banana!"

"Apparently you know me... but who are you?" Risa inquired, she kept her guard up.

"Ara ~ me? I'm just plain ol' Lucy Stripes...nothing to be suspicious about really." Lucy yawned as she sat on a nearby seat "Nice to meet you~~"

"Hm. Interesting. You do know that I'm a Faunus right?" The girl named Lucy nodded. "Yet...you don't hate me or feel any negative emotions?"

"Huh...? Why would I? You don't seem like a bad person... do you have any cookies on you?" the blue eyed huntress asked, making Risa giggle silently.

'What a laid back person... very amusing.' licking her fox like incisors she shook her head.

"I am sorry Lucy, I haven't packed any snacks for this trip..." she said with slight regret "But I would be happy to keep you company if you'd like?"

"…" The red-head didn't react immediately. Risa waved her hand in front of her.

"Hm? Sorry~~ I was listening to my favorite song." The girl said while slightly pulling at her head-phones.

"But you just asked me a question! Is that a way to hold a conversation…?"

"I'll let you listen to it if you want~"

Lucy gave a carefree smile, Risa giggle was raised a decimal higher as she covered her mouth of muffle her laugh. "But you gotta treat me to lunch after~~" she sang as the Faunus sat next to her.

* * *

…..Many hours later...

**Remnant, Vale, Forever Fall, January 26****th****, AW 675**

**(Insert music: Call of duty MW2: TF 141 theme)**

"Well this sucks...whoa!" Akashi barrel rolled to his left as he dodged as Beowolf claw striking his back. As he rolled, he un-wrapped his hammer. As he came to a stop he spotted a number of Beowolf circling around him. "Wow...you do like to hunt in packs. I guess those books were right." his cheerful gaze soon turned into a confident look. "Come on then...let's have some fun!"

With a roar two Grimm attacked him. The first rushed towards him, it's claw out to rip his flesh, as it swung the giant arm, Akashi turned his hammer around revealing a sharp blade behind it, in a split second the Grimm howled in pain as it's forearm was cut clean with the hunter standing behind it. Wasting no time the brown haired hunter went back to the head of his weapon slamming into the back of the Beowulf as the exhaust on it spewed out whitish flames.

A gush of black smoke escaped from the beast as it disintegrated into nothing. Akashi breathed out before smiling "That was too easy... one down... seven more to go!" the rest of the pack jumped onto him, but the boy was too smart and fast, grasping his hammer tightly he waited until they were in closer range, before swinging his hammer expertly so he hit all the Grimms in one shot making them fly in a fast pace. That was accomplished by his intense and powerful smash into the ground with the hammer, which created shockwaves. Most of the monsters hit the trees, but some managed to back flip and land softly on the ground.

"Heh. Not so dumb after all… come on then!" rushing towards them at blinding speed Akashi ducked and then prepared the back of his hammer and jammed it in the toe of a beast stunning it temporarily. After that he was flipping back to his blade and he gutted the beast before rushing towards the other two. Jumping high into the air he brought the head of the hammer down to the ground close to them as the wave of kinetic pulse shook the ground within a 50 meter radius, the beast howled from the impact before vanishing into wisps of smoke. Eyeing the rest to the Grimms he got into his battle stance. "Is that all? You can do better!"

The beasts roared… but not very loud before running into the darkness of the forest. Akashi tilted his head in confusion until a loud chirping met his ears.

...You have GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!" he groaned loudly.

(change music: Naruto – Kokuten)

This Grimm had a base black exoskeleton as well as white, bonelike plates upon its back with red symbols. One of the more prominent attributes is the glowing golden stinger on its tail. It also had a pair of large claws that it used to corner its enemies in front of its stinger. It had what appears to be moss or red grass growing on its claws and torso. It remotely resembled a scorpion.

'A Death Stalker!? What the hell is it doing here!?' Akashi felt pressured by the giant Grimm before him. Its white pincers were snapping at him. "I could fight, but this is way out of my league. Unless...I enter that..." shaking his head Akashi backed off. "No it's too dangerous. I haven't mastered it yet. There is no one to back me up...I guess it's time to retreat!" the death stalker chirped loudly, aiming its stinger at him, the boy narrowly missed it as he lurched away before kneeling. "Yep...time to run!" chaining his weapon to his legs he started running towards the academy, he could still feel the vibration of the Grimm coming for him. He dodged the occasional trees that the Grimm threw at him on its rampage.

"...Urgh...just my luck."

* * *

**Remnant, Vale, Emerald Forest , January 26****th****, AW 675**

"Urgh...just my luck..." Juge sighed as he looked at the forest below that flew past him.

Yes: Flew past him. Juge held on to it's black feathers strongly as the large bird tried to shake him off and give him a painful death.

"That's never going to happen Nevermore, now why don't you play nice and help me get to Beacon?" Juge smirked as the reached for his whip. "Dust Change: Fire!" the whip glimmered before igniting into flames. Juge twirled it above his head before laso-ing the rope onto its neck, the bird roared the ropes grips tighten. The man in blue was proud of his work before walking towards the birds back, using his weapon as an anchor. Juge smiled as he reached the top, the Nevermore was still trying to break free.

"Next stop: Beacon Academy!" Juge shouted as he 'stirred' the bird towards the academy. As his Mother always said: A Velmón always makes a statement on the first day!

The bird gawked again before feeling it's throat close up again. "Ah, ah...you don't get a say in this Grimm." Juge sat comfortably as he watched the clouds go by.

Then the Nevermore squawked loudly, causing Juge to cover his ears, as the noise of the bird echoed around the forest. The teen paled as he took his hands off his ears.

"Oh no." he groaned as multiple similiar cries responded to the abused Nevermore's cry. "Mother also always said that Grimms can be quite resourceful."

(Insert Music: Bleach: The hour Cometh)

As he finished talking to himself, 4 Nevermores shot upwards from the forest, all of them flying towards the source of the noise. Juge stood up and assessed the situation. The Grimms started circling around him waiting for a chance to attack.

"Relax Juge. You've faced Nevermore before…just not these numbers." His senses kicked in as he ducked, narrowly missing the wings of the attacked Nevermore. "Yep…I do have my work cut out for me."

(Change music: Fate series :Let the stars fall down (Juge's theme)

"Then so be it." Releasing the captured Nevermore off its grip Juge retracted Morte Consumptis before getting into his fighting stance. "5 on 1, huh?"

The first Nevermore started its attack, nose diving directly towards Juge, the teen smirked as he jumped onto the bird and ran upwards, making the bird pierce its fellow grimm before tumbling towards the hard ground, the whip wielding hunter unrolled his weapon.

"Dust change: fire!" the whip ignited once again, before Juge lassoed around one of the beasts head and then snared the foot of another Nevermore. Using his momentum he flew in the air towards the Grimm flying before him, untangling Morte Consumptis he brought it back before change changing his dust element.

"Dust Change: Ice!" the hot fire slowly changed back into a brown rope with a light blue haze surrounding it., making himself more dynamic he quickly came close to the Nevermore, tightening the grip on Morte Consumptis he performed a full circle, his whip taking in the force of the spin as he came into contact with the Nevermore, causing his feather to freeze up, the ice slowly incasing the Nevermore in case as it wing was immovable.

"For such 'resourceful' creatures they are not that smart." Juge exclaimed before hearing another Nevermore behind him. He turned around immediately.

"Ah, merde." Juge muttered in his clan's secret language as the Nevermore made contact with him; however the boy at the last second managed to avert his body to the side, landing him on the bird's masked face. The boy sighed in relief before looking at the last feathered beast. "Well then... how about this?"

Retracing his step the boy made is way towards the bird's back while lassoing his whip once again on the neck, the bird screamed before Juge pulled up, making the bird fly upwards in a tight angle. Carefully stirring the Nevermore, Juge narrowed his eyes before adjusting the bird in one direction or the other.

"Now what to do?" Juge ran his hand through is brown hair. "If I deal with both right here chances are I'll fall towards my untimely death. On the other hand..." he noticed the air ship that left him in Emerald city really close, but his eyes weren't directed on the ship itself… it is more the people that were staring at him through the window. He must have come quite a way to lead the Grimm to the air ship's route.

"While that could be a bit hard to explain…assuming that they didn't see me fight the other Nevermore..."

Most of them had their jaws dropped. Only some were keeping their composure.

"Nope. They saw." Juge faceplamed "Curse me on the showboating." Tugging on the weapon he retracted his whip. "Well no matter…I came here to make a statement anyway. And I intend to keep my promise."

And with that Juge jumped high, his aura kicked up a notch.

"Double poussière: Flammes de congélation!" His whip shone with white flames, causing the Nevermore to lose its orientation. "It's over!" Juge shouted as he started spinning violently incasing him in a white firestorm.

The hunter's beloved weapon cut thought both Grimm with ease with the length extension of his dual elements. The nevermore was split in half before dissolving into white flames. Small droplets of ice were falling towards the earth.

"And that's a Velmón's technique!" Juge said once again before ending his attack "Next…oh no."

As the teen stopped spinning he saw the air ship window come close at a high speed. Or as a matter of fact he was already close to coming into contact with the airship in a very painful fashion.

"Oh for the love of-" Juge couldn't finish is sentence before his body became one with the window.

His face was frozen against the window, his eyes were watching the interior.

Looking at all the students looking at him. Particularily a girl with silver eyes and a blonde female with lavender eyes. His eye slowly found its way towards the two girls. A young teen with red hair and blue eyes and a Faunus with fox ears.

"…." Juge felt his body becoming unstuck before falling off the airship, rapidly heading towards the earth, which was welcoming him in its hard embrace. He could now relate to the frozen Nevermore that had experienced the same thing seconds ago.

* * *

**Remnant, Vale, Airship to Beacon, January 26****th****, AW 675**

"Lucy… tell me I wasn't-"

"Nope, you saw it. We all did~" Lucy yawned as she turned back from the crowd "Ah…it's boring again~"

"Well…..Aren't we going to stop the ship and help him!?" Riza shouted at her, but the blue eyed girl only shrugged.

"Maybe~" Lucy answered softly "Riza, when do we reach Beacon~?"

"The nerve of you!" Riza shouted at her "That man might be injured and you aren't showing a shread of concern!?"

"Ah~ there's no need to yell. If he could beat those Nevermore easily, then I'm sure he'll be fine….besides" Lucy pointed towards a blonde haired man hurling into a bin "This boy might need some help too."

"Ah you poor guy!" Riza exclaimed as she ran towards him and rubbed his back, the teen groaned stopped as he looked at her "Are you ok?"

"Yeah…just little a travel sickness…thanks….." he gave a pained grin. Riza smiled as she continued to rub his back.

"It's fine… you have to inhale slowly and deeply." she cooded down. Lucy giggled before placing her hands beind her head.

"Ah~ This what they call love at first sight?" Riza blushed before backing away her cheeks red from embarrassment.

"N-no-nothing like that! It's just people need to be comforted when they feel ill, don't they?" she stepped back before pulling out a small candy "Anyways…h-here…eat this..it'll help with your sickness. Bye bye!" Riza grabbed Lucy's hand and walked rather quickly from him.

"Hey wait, I didn't get your name!"

"We'll meet again, please take that pill!" Riza shouted as they turned a corner.

"Riza~ What was that?"

"You embarrassed me that's what!" Riza shouted trying the calm herself "I don't like him…I felt bad for him, please refrain from making any more assumptions!"

"Ok~ But you were mean to me again, so you owe me Lunch_ and_ Dinner~" Lucy sang and Riza sighed in defeat.

* * *

(Insert Music: Naruto Crimson flames)

Akashi barely missed being cut in half, as he spun around facing the Deathstalker once again. "You just don't give up, do you?"

The Grimm chirped loudly in response snapping his pincers at Akashi again. The boy grabbed his hammer before dodging its tail.

"Wrong move buddy!"

Channeling his aura into the gravity hammer he swung it hard onto the side of its yellow stinger knocking it clean of its tail." The deathstalker chirped as it batted Akashi away, making him fly through the air before coming in contact with something hard.

"Ouch!"

"Argh!"

With the change if speed and direction Akashi and the object crashed hard into the ground. The light haired teen tumbled a bit before being stopped by a tree.

"Ow ow ow ow…" Akashi rubbed his arm before seeing something dressed in blue. "Hey…" biting back the pain Akashi dragged his hammer over the ground, the grass being destroyed with each pull. "Hey….are you alright?"

"Ugh... give me a moment….my head is spinning... I think I just fought 5 Nevermore and collided with an airship…" the man groaned. Akashi was stunned before hearing the annoying chirp again.

"God damn!" looking at the man, he lifted him over his shoulder before walking towards the tree he collided with, setting him down he placed his bag down next to him. "If it's not going to give me a break, then its time I take care of it."

"Urgh… I also think I may have a concussion…" the man groaned once again.

"Then try to stay awake, I'll be finished with it in a second."

"...what are you talking about?"

"Deathstalker. It's been following me since Forever Fall." Akashi giggled as the man groaned in dissatisfaction.

"Easy there! I tend to avoid them, but I've had plenty encounters with them in the past, give me 5 minutes. And don't fall asleep…I don't want to have to perform CPR on you."

(Insert music: Two steps from hell: Nero (Akashi's theme)

As if it heard him, the wounded Deathstalker crashed through the dense trees, it was chirping loudly as its many eyes placed on Akashi. "Come on then, let's have fun!"

At a fast pace the Grimm charged at him, only to be forced back as the teen swung his hammer.

'Good, to save time… I'm going for 5 heavy hits or 10 quick hits.' Akashi thought as he watched the Grimm get back up. 'Deathstalkers have hard armor protecting their head, it will take a while to break it. On the other hand it's stinger is gone, but the tail can still become a nuisance…..fine then.'

Running towards the large beast he retracted his hammer. Before he switched to the hammer's blade, focusing on the creature's movement he quickly ran towards its leg, before the Grimm could beat him down with his pincers, becoming a blur the pincers missed him, only hitting the ground. "I've got you now!"

If only that Grimm were as dumb as the Nevermore.

Jumping out of Akashi's range of attack the grimm stayed in the air, its shadow incasing everything it was going to land on….includinging the boy.

"That's new." Akashi sighed as the death stinger landed on top of them with sickening crunch. Rubbing his body onto the ground to make sure the foe was dead the deathstalker snapped its claws in victory before eyeing its new prey. The man was still trying to shake off the shellshock, but to no avail.

Taking its time the Grimm rose from the position and then made its way towards the new prey. Before feeling a slight tug on the wounded tail.

"You shouldn't think that I'm done yet!" Akashi screamed as he dug the hammers blade deeper into the crack shell of the tail.

Chirping in annoyance the stalker tried to attack him, but the boy only gave a bloody grin as started spinning the Grimm around, the weight of his gravity hammer shifted onto Akashi as each spin became more violent and dangerous.

"It's time I showed you why you don't mess with Akashi Mayhiro!" the blade left the Deathstaker, making it crash hard into a pile of trees as it toppled over. The boy panted before gripping his hammer tightly and jumped high, his weapon high above him as he activated its trusties.

"Saishū eikyō: Zero G!" the hunter yelled as he brought to hammer over the deathstalker, crushing it hard shell and it's body.

The tree that fell rose up, as if there was no gravity holding them down before dissolving into dust, the Deathstalker gave out before it's body vanished into black dust.

(End music)

Akashi landed on the ground with one knee as he panted heavily "Hah aah...that was fun!" Akashi felt like his aura was still going strong "But...the Grimm was smart." the browned haired boy looked around to find himself inside a 6 foot crater. "Right...I should limit Zero G..."

The sound of the airship ran in his ears as he watched the the aircraft fly over them. "Huh? That looks like it's going to land. I must be close to beacon..." Akashi saw that his clothes were torn and bloodied from the fighting "Right...lucky mum told me to carry an extra pair of clothes." It might tell people a lot about Akashi's parents that they think that far. His mind snapped back into action. "Of crap, that guy!" he jumped out of the hole and ran (in pain) towards the man that was shifting back and forth. "Hold on, I'll patch you up." Akashi nodded as he tilted the man head back and open his eye lids.

The man was still in a daze "It looks like a concussion, but you won't die from it, I did break your fall... why _did _you fall form the sky?

"Nevermore...attacked...me..." he groaned as Akashi pulled out a first aid box.

"I see...what's your name?"

"Juge Velmón, a 1st year at beacon." Akashi was surprised before pulling up the man's sleeve, his arm was bloodied but his aura was working to repair it, gently straightening out his arm he wrapped the white bandages around it.

"I see, I'm Akashi Mayhiro, 1st year at beacon too."

"Hahaha... and here I thought I was the only one crazy enough to travel on foot."

"You travel on foot? How did you get onto a Nevermore?"

"You see...I got tired of walking and saw a Nevermore just sitting there...so I might have used it to travel to Beacon... it kind of went downhill after that."

"'that so. Can you stand? I've patched you up." Juge nodded as Akashi held out his hand grabbing it he stood up. "Judging by the airship, Beacon should be an hour away. Assuming that we don't run into anymore Grimms.

"I agree... I may be capable but fighting any more than that...my aura is near depletion already." Juge gave a weak chukle as Akashi slung Juge arm over him, giving him support he picked up his bag and continued to walk towards the academy.

* * *

….Many Hours later...

**Remnant, Vale, Beacon Acadamy, January 26****th****, AW 675**

"Hm...so this is Beacon Academy." Riza gasped as she marveled the build structure, Lucy only yawned.

"Ah~...That's nice..." Riza rolled her eyes as she watched the new students make their way.

"Oi let's go!"

"Hold on don't leave me."

"Sorry, but I've got friends to catch up with!"

"Hey Sis! Where your going?!"

Lucy sighed before grabbing her friend's hand. "Let's go~" the faunus nodded before looking back at Emerald Forest.

"I just hope he's ok..."

"Ara? You mean 'whip guy'? I guess~" Lucy mind wandered of topic making the Faunus growl.

"And you still aren't showing any concern."

"Riza~ I told you that that if someone can kill a Nevermore like that...then he'll be fine...besides the academy would have found him by now~"

"I guess your right." Riza said in a small voice before Lucy dragged her towards the group of students.

"Hey! Wait up!" Lucy and Riza looked behind them, seeing the blonde teen running towards them.

A teenage boy with messy blonde hair and dark blue eyes. He wears a white chest plate and shoulder armor. Under the armor, he wears a black hoodie with reddish-orange sleeves. He also wears blue pants with a white patch on the left knee, and black shoes. He has two belts crisscrossing his waist, both different shades of brown, and one has a small pouch on it. He wears brown wrist-length gloves with exposed fingertips and a small metal plate on the back.

"Ah! It's you!" Riza smiled at him "Good to see that your ok!"

"Hehe thanks...I'm Juane by the way, Jaune Arc, thanks for helping me back there." Jaune smiled at them.

"Riza Inari, and this here is my Friend Lucy Stripes."

"Hello~"

"Riza...you mean the Royal Faunus from the Inari family?!" Jaune squealed before looking at Lucy "How can you act like that?"

"Like what~?"

"Like that! You friend is Riza Inari!"

"I hey...I'm not that famous you know..." Riza tried to calm the blonde teen down making as gesture to quiet down. Juane looked at her before sighing.

"But-"

"It's flattering that you know me, but please don't bring up my past again..." her voice quivered before shaking her head.

"I...understand." Jaune nodded.

Suddenly a explosion meet their ears seeing a cloud of red blue and white incasing two figures.

"Wah...an explosion~" Lucy said flatly. Jaune looked over to the Faunus girl.

"Is she always that lay back?"

"Apparently yes." the blonde fox girl sighed "But...she is interesting once you get to know her."

"Unbelievable!" a shrilled voice interrupted their small talk.

A young girl, dressed primarily in light blue, white, and some red. She wears a pale blue bolero jacket over a similarly colored thigh-length dress with a piece of black lace making up the neckline of the dress. The inside of the bolero is red and the sleeves turn blue as they get closer to her wrists. The bolero has the Familiar crest on the back that bears a resemblance to a snowflake.

"This is exactly that kind of thing I was talking about!" she continued her verbal assault of a girl with dark red hair, a few centimeters below her.

"I'm really sorry!" the red haired girl tried apologizing but the girl in white wouldn't stop there.

"You complete dolt!"

"Wow~ she's really mean~" Lucy tilted her head "Someone should talk to her~"

"Lucy, I think you trying to break it up would cause more chaos." Riza pointed out "I think we should just let things settle before talking to her."

"Agreed…..but that Weiss...she's something."

"I know right she-" Riza turned around to see Jaune with a dreamy look in his eyes. "Oh."

"What are you even doing here?" The girl called Weiss shouted "Aren't you a little young to attend Beacon?"

"Well-"

"You do know that this place is for Hunters and Huntresses you know!" Weiss stated with pride. "We're here to fight _monsters_, so watch where you're going!"

"Hey, I said I was sorry princess!" the girl in the red cloak shot back.

"It's Heiress actually."

Everyone eyes looked up towards a girl with black eyes and a rather large bow on top of her head. She has long, wavy black hair, and her eyes are amber, complemented by light purple eye shadow flaring backwards. Her eyes are slightly tilted upwards at the ends, giving her a somewhat catlike appearance.

"Weiss Schnee, Heiress to the Schnee dust company, one of the worlds biggest mine quarries in the world."

"Finally, some recognition!" Weiss stated glaring at the red haired girl.

"The same company, infamous for its controversial laborer force and questionable business partners."

Lucy couldn't help but giggle at that, her giggle turned into laughter as she saw the heiress's face turn red from embarrassment.

"The nerve- how dare-" taking a step towards the girl in black, she snatched a container of red dust and stormed off.

"I'm sorry!" the red in the red cloak called out, however Weiss ignored her and walked of. "I guess I'm not the only one to have a rough first day-" looking at the previous position of the black haired girl, she was nowhere to be found...

Walking past the group her yellow eyes meet Riza's aqua blue eyes. Looking at each other the two gave a quick nod.

"Riza."

"Belladona."

The woman named Belladona gave one last glance before walking off.

"To think that she would be attending Beacon...wait."

She looked around.

"Where's Lucy and Jaune?"

"So much for first impressions... welcome to Beacon..." the girl with dark hair sank to her knees and watched the blue sky in sadness.

"H-hey. I'm Jaune."

"Ruby." Ruby replied back. "Are you the guy that threw up on the ship?" Jaune rubbed his head.

"Probably. B-but I got medicine and it was all better!"

"Cheer up~ I'll give you some pocky if you stop being sad~" the girl squeaked as two blue eye stared over her. Quick sitting up Lucy noticed she had silver eyes. "Ara? Your eyes look cool~" Lucy smiled at her gently. Before the girl could speak Lucy pulled of a small box of pocky, "Here~ you'll feel better~"

"Ah...thanks." the girl slowly took out a chocolate stick and nibbled on it.

"Feeling better?" the girl looked up to see Jaune look at her. Nodding in responsive Jaune smiled back.

"Lucy Stripes. Nice to meet you~" Lucy munched on another pocky "Riza~"

"Come on" the Faunus huffed at both of them "If you are going to talk to her, at least... include me." the Faunus looked over to Ruby. She pointed at herself.

"My name is Riza Inari. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, thanks for asking." Ruby gave a small smile before looking at both Jaune and Riza. "Weren't you the one that scared those two boys out of their pants?" Riza got flustered before nodding.

Lucy started looking around. "Lucy, what's wrong?"

"Ara~ Everyone is gone~" the group looked around.

"Lucy...how did you know?"

"Huh? I just knew~~ Everyone's aura was gone."

"Maybe we should head for the main hall now?" Riza asked set on the goal ahead.

Jaune looked for some signs and saw one saying 'Great Hall'. He waved in its direction "Look we have to go this way!" He ran down the footpath at high speed.

"Wait I think I read something about that in the Beacon brochure. The 'Great Hall' isn't the main hall. Jaune, wait!" She yelled after him, but he was already gone.

"I... will go fetch him. I am really fast, actually!" Ruby said and also disappeared. The two of them were way too fast and soon out of the girls reach.

"Should we head for the main hall? We will meet those two on the way... sooner or later."

"Okay~ Can we go for lunch first?"

Riza shook her head with a small sigh and started walking to the ceremony.

* * *

…...In the Interest of time...

**Remnant, Vale, Beacon Academy- Courtyard, January 26****th****, AW 675**

Not much later they reunited with the two and started talking vigorously.

"Did you guys see that guy take on those Nevermores!?" Ruby cried out as she jumped in front of them, waving her harm wildly "He was all like wohhh and HIYAAAA!" she started twirling around "Oh oh! What about when those Nevermore froze up and exploded!? That was way too cool!"

"He was hard to overlook. Hitting the window and all..."

"I know right!?" Jaune agreed, as did Riza. "I mean, you don't see someone handle a Nevermore like that!" Cupping his chin as he looked at the sky "You think he's new here?"

"With moves like that I don't think he's a 1st year~ Maybe a 3rd year on some mission~" Lucy pointed out before guesting anyone to take her pocky, Ruby got a couple, as did Jaune. Riza declined.

"Maybe..." Ruby ended the conversation before silence filled the air "So I have this." Ruby took her weapon that quick changed into a large scythe. Causing Riza and Jaune to jump. "I showed it to Jaune already though."

"Whoa! Is that a Scythe!?" Ruby giggled while she nodded.

"Yep! It's also a customizable high velocity sniper rifle." she said with pride.

"What was that again...?" Jaune looked at her blank with his mouth open; Riza elbowed him in the side. "Ouch!"

"She means it's a gun" she said before glancing at Ruby "And you shouldn't have raised your weapon like that, you could have cut someone!" Ruby averted her eyes to the ground before her weapon retracted back. She kicked the ground and she moved her arm behind her.

"Sorry..."

"Ah~ don't be like that Riza~ I think your weapon is cool~" Lucy smiled as she slung her arm over Ruby.

"Aw thanks!" Ruby's eyes brightened again "SO what do you guys have?"

"Just this spear." Riza pulled out a small pole before chnging it into a larger staff with a dragon head on it by simple button press. "It explodes with anything it touches." Riza smirked before throwing the lance into the air and catching it, turned into a small gun "Like yours: it's also a gun."

"Ohhh!" Ruby eye gleamed at the gun.

"Well... I got this sword. Like Ruby said... it's a classic." Jaune pulled out a basic sword and shield. Ruby nodded at Jaune's weapon. "And this shield too, it collapses if I get tired of carrying it."

"But...isn't that the same weight?" Riza pointed it out, Jaune looked defeated and embarrassed.

"Yeah I guess...you are right...again..."

"Ah~ Don't be saddened Jaune, lookie~" the sound of two swords unsheathing met their ears as the 3 looked at Lucy which held two katanas, one pure white and one pure black. "See...I have weapons like yours too~" Lucy smiled. Jaune smiled before walking towards her.

'Where did she pull those out from?' Riza wondered, but kept it to herself.

"There's someone that has basic weapons like me?!"

"Yeah...These are my grandma's~"

"Really!?" Jaune yelled "My sword is from my great, great grandpa!" Jaune smiled.

"Really~?" Lucy grinned.

"May I hug you?" Jaune blurted out with manly tears before covering his mouth. "I mean...I didn't-"

"Here~" Lucy wrapped her arm around the boy causing him to blush hard. Letting go Lucy sheathed her swords. "I like giving hugs...since we have similiar swords you can hug me anytime~"

"..." Jaune was frozen on the spot.

Then he fainted.

"Was that necessary Lucy?" Riza raised an eyebrow. Ruby giggled.

"What~?"

All three of them picked up Jaune. "It's lucky we met you two. I don't think we would have found our way again... without a landmark of some kind." Ruby laughed happily.

* * *

**Remnant, Vale, Beacon Academy- Hall, January 26****th****, AW 675**

The four made their way towards the hall where everyone gathered.

"Ruby! Over here I saved you a spot!" Ruby looked over to see a blonde girl waved her over.

"I have to go, will you guys be okay?" She asked. Riza and Lucy nodded. "Great, it was nice meeting you!"

"Likewise, goodbye Ruby!" Riza smiled as Ruby disappeared into the crowd. "Come Lucy let's go."

"Sure~" Lucy sang as she hoisted the sleeping Jaune on her shoulder.

"No Mommy…just five more minutes…" he mumbled in his sleep. Riza rolled her eyes as the two found comfortable spots.

"I wonder what this is all about~" Lucy mumbled as she tried to eat her pocky, but Jaune's hand was stopping her from doing that.

"Obviously the headmaster will want to say something, speaking of which" her faunus eyes flickered over the a woman with light blonde hair.

She appears to be a middle-aged woman that has very light blonde hair tied back in a bun with a curl hanging down the right side of her face. Her eyes are emerald green and she wears thin rectangular glasses. She has teal, hanging earrings with a small bead identical to her earrings on her collar. She wore a white long-sleeved suit that exposes part of her chest, and puffy sleeves that tighten near the wrist before spreading back out near her hands. Her lower body has a black business skirt with buttons running in a vertical line up the front of it and lighter black-brown stockings. She wears black boots with brown heels, and wears a torn cape that is purple inside and black on the outside, decorated by a row of diamond-shaped brown beads going horizontally across her cape.

"Please everyone, may I have your attention." She spoke calmly; Lucy looked at her and whistled impressed.

"Ah, That's Glynda Goodwitch, she's a pretty good huntress…and she's also pretty~"

"I see." Riza said before looking at Jaune "Are you going to wake up soon?"

"Everyone, I'm sure you are wondering why the headmaster has called you here, but before we proceed any further, I must discuss with you a certain matter that took place before your arrival at Beacon."

"She must be talking about him."

"No Kidding."

"Quite the show off if you asked me."

"Everyone!" Glynda spoke again, the noise died down. "As you all saw, there was a young hunter that engaged combat with multiple Grimms… let me put those rumor to rest. That man hasn't attended Beacon before."

"What?!"

"You mean-"

"He's a freshman!?"

"No way!"

"Continuing…" the hunteress spoke "We don't approve of such dangerous behaviour and once you all attend this academy the rules _will_ be enforced strictly."

Glynda waited for the murmurs to die down again. "Until then, the headmaster will be overseeing this operation. Without any more interruptions: The headmaster and Professor of Beacon Acadamy: Professor Ozpin.

A middle-aged man with tousled gray hair and thin brown eyes appeared on stage. He wears shaded glass spectacles and a dark green scarf with a small purple cross-shaped emblem on it. He wears an unzipped black suit over a black buttoned vest, with a green undershirt underneath. He also wears white gloves, black trouser shoes, and dark green long pants.

"Ah hm…" Ozpin pushed his glasses close to the bridge of his nose. "I'll keep this brief."

"Hn…that's good~" Lucy said.

"You have traveled here today in search of knowledge-to hone your craft and acquire new skills-and when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you, and all I see is wasted energy, in need of purpose-direction. You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step." Many student whispered to each other as the headmaster walked away from the mic.

"You will gather in the ball room for the night, you will prepare for iniation in the morning. You are dismissed." After a few seconds of chatting something surprising happened.

The door of the hall opened up again, revealing two figures standing side by side. As the light dimmed down it revealed a man in a torn blue vest with his eye fading in and out, he was breathing hard as he clutched his side. Beside him was boy with one eye bandaged and half of his shirt gone, revealing his toned body.

"It's him, that's the guy who defeated the Nevermore!"

"Who's with him?"

Juge groaned before darkness covered his vision falling face first onto the ground. Making Akashi laugh.

"Haha…I told you that you would fall before m-" His eyes rolled to the back of his head before he too fell unconscious.

Ozpin looked at his colleague who in turn looked at him.

"Well… that escalated quickly."

* * *

So how was it?

Johno 343


	2. Chapter 2

Yo everyone, This chapter is done by my friend Bugdevil on Mangafox, I have to say that he is a better writer than me, but that doesn't mean I;m going to give up! I'll write a better chapter as well!

For the guest that wanted a OcxCanon paring...sorry...maybe later!

Arc 1: The shining Beacon. Chapter 2: Initiation

* * *

** Beacon Academy - Main Hall, January 26th, AW 675**

After their great (in a different sense of the word) entrance, Juge and Akashi were escorted to the medical wing. A few of the more curious students followed them a bit and tried to ask questions. The academy's staff shooed them away fast.

"Did they fight themselves through the forest?"

"One of them was bleeding!"

"What a weird outfit..."

Riza started to get annoyed by the murmuring and straightened her back. "Let's go Lucy." She turned around to walk away from the crowd, but stopped when she noticed the red-head hadn't followed her. "What...?" And then she noticed the head-phones.

"Hmmhmmmh~" Lucy was humming happily.

"I can't believe this! You listened to music the whole time? Don't you care about the headmaster's words?" Riza glared at her and pulled the head-phones off.

"Is it lunch time already~?"

"Is food all you care about?" She groaned in a annoyed tone "Besides...lunch time is already over." she rubbed her temples and then grabbed the relaxed Lucy at her black sweater. "I guess we will get something at the cafeteria if we ask nicely."

"Yaaay ~ Riza you are the best ~" her words were kind of sluggish as she raised her arms in victory.

"Why don't I believe those words one bit... ah!" While pulling Lucy along Riza accidentally bumped into a young man. "I am sorry, it was an accident!" in a flash she was already bowing down to apologize.

"Ah, no. It was entirely my fault." The guy responded with perfect mannerisms. His hands made a apologetic gesture.

Now Riza took a closer look at him. Certainly he wasn't too bad looking. A young brown-haired man with an olive-green shirt and a small, black, sleeveless opened vest above it. He was wearing a small pendant as well as a perfect smile. Eyes as blue as the crystal sea were watching her with guilt.

Lucy ignored this exchange and wondered why the pull had stopped.

"Aren't we going to the cafeteria?"

"Are you perhaps hungry? There was no food on the air-ship after all." he laughed gently and bowed in a elegant way. "My name is Antonio Chessa. It would be my pleasure to escort you two to the cafeteria."

"N-no need, really! We are fully able to find it by ourselves..." waving her arms in front of her to deny his offer, Riza wanted to deny him instantly, but he pressed on.

"Please look at it as my personal apology for bumping into you so rudely. As a matter of fact I was getting slightly hungry too." again that perfect smile. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to accompany him.

"I am all out of pockys... oh hi there ~" Lucy had just noticed the boy.

"Please come along then. I must have missed your name...?"

"Riza. This here is Lucy Stripes. She is... a little off sometimes." Riza decided to keep her last name hidden for now. People like Jaune recognized her way too fast. She didn't want more questions.

"You are mean Riza... but you are buying lunch." Riza sighed and nodded. As they walked with the new student she realized something.

"Antonio was it? How do you know the way so well? Are you a 2nd year perhaps?"

"Haha no way. I am just a freshmen like you two. I visited the academy before and got a tour around the campus. A few friends of mine are enrolled here as well." he explained to them. It made sense to Riza, though she found the regulations to be a little lax, if anyone could just visit the academy.

"Do you know people here too?" he asked politely.

"Uhm..." Riza didn't have any friends from Signal or home that joined Beacon. She was a little embarrassed to admit it though.

"No sis! Don't leave me!" Suddenly a girl yelled in their general direction. She sounded a little desperate. A golden shape passed them at high speed. It was a girl with a leather jacket and sports bloomers.

"When a woman has to go, she has to go!" she exclaimed this with a lot of energy while holding her stomach. Her words spoke for themselves.

"But, but I think those are the staff bathrooms...!" The second girl was a smaller figure with a black skirt and a red cape. Ruby Rose. She gasped for air and stopped in her tracks.

"..." she stared at the three who in turn were staring back at her.

"It's you two! Riza and Lucy. That girl might have been my sister ehehe... she is really fast too." she smiled awkwardly.

"A friend of yours?" Antonio asked raising a brow. Riza looked away sweating.

"N-not really. Just someone we met on the way. People really shouldn't run in the hallways anyway!" the last words were in a more scolding tone again.

"That's cold. I really feel it." Ruby made a downcast expression, but then she realized her target was getting away fast. "I have to go." she said with a hint of disappointment.

As she also disappeared in the next hallway the trio couldn't help but stare at her back.

"I like Ruby. She is cute ~" Lucy got to the point in an instant as always.

"She has a certain charm, similar to a small animal perhaps?" Antonio chuckled softly.

"Ruby should be a puppy. I would adopt her ~" Riza couldn't help but laugh at those words.

Soon after they reached another great hall. It was filled with tables, benches and chairs, all wooden and simplistic looking. On the other end of it was a big counter with food, silverware and plates. Surprisingly enough the canisters and boxes were already filled with steaming food and desserts of all kinds. A few kitchen ladies were preparing another stash of ingredients. Aside from the three of them there were a few others too. There were senior students and a few freshmen. They could easily be distinguished by the uniforms or the lack thereof.

The two girls watched the scene before them with slight amazement.

"So they already prepared for the newcomers." Riza wondered why she hadn't expected it.

"It looks really tasty ~" Lucy was already advancing towards the food with an unusual focus in her foggy blue eyes.

"They have at least 3 different dishes per meal, or that's what my friends told me. They didn't lie it seems." As he wanted to add something a loud voice cut him off.

"There you are Anto!" Riza could barely recognize the movement before it happened. A fist covered with a gauntlet hit the young man into the stomach at full force.

"Urgh... good to see you... Jasna..." Antonio was bending over holding his hurting stomach.

"'Good to see you' my ass! You just left me alone with all those two-legged pigs and what do I see here? Hangin' out with some cute girl?!" With a furious glare the girl called Jasna was towering above the cringing Antonio. To his defense and Riza's secret admiration, he somehow managed to smile with his pressed lips. She tried not to think about the random compliment.

"Two-legged pigs?" She spoke her thoughts aloud.

"Yes, yes! You know they are, like, everywhere." Jasna turned towards her and her whole demeanor changed instantly. From angered face to energetic smile in under 1 second. "I hope this useless guy didn't touch you or anything." Her eyes were giving off actual worry.

"Uh no..." She tilted her head and her fox ears were twitching a little.

"Cute ears by the way!" She quickly said. "Will you stand up already womanizer?" Jasna grabbed Antonio's sleeve and pulled him up. She was switching gears faster than any other person Riza met before.

"Ouch... you are tainting my reputation here, dear Jasna. That hurts more than your fists. But those hurt too. A lot." He put more emphasis on it than necessary. Or was it?

"Hahaha are you worried that she may not date you now? All men are the same. Well you are a little better than those other monkeys." Her words were aimed at some other boys watching the spectacle. Riza got the impression that Jasna didn't try to be diplomatic. Ever.

"I should feel honored then, I guess?" the brown haired teen had recovered already.

'He is tougher than he looks.' Riza thought to herself.

"True, very true!" The girl with a long red scarf nodded her head seriously. She was wearing an orange and white outfit. Additionally to wide shoulder pads she was wearing black and white gloves with weird round metal enhancements that had slits all around it. They looked really heavy. Other than that she was wearing white stockings and had a small opening around her top's chest area. Her short brown hair was hanging down wildly and gave her an even more energetic look. Something that stood out instantly were her violet-gray eyes.

Now she proceeded to slap Antonio's back repeatedly. The gesture was friendly, but the effect devastating. "I am Jasna Zora. It's easy to remember, because it rhymes." For some reason that fact seemed to make her proud.

"I am Riza. It's uh... nice to meet you Jasna. Are those your weapons?" she couldn't help but stare at the gauntlets. One reason being their repeated, but causal misuse on Antonio.

"Sure are! I sometimes call 'em my 'Slasher fists'." she smiled, but didn't elaborate. The faunice girl didn't feel like questioning her any further.

"Jasna is quite skilled as a huntress already. She is very efficient with her weapons."

"Yeah maybe. But you handle that boring umbrella quite well too." she had blushed for a second, or maybe Riza imagined it. But her eyes were better than most normal humans'...

"Now that we have gathered here, why don't we all eat together?" Antonio proposed this gentlemanly.

"Good thinking! I was already starving anyway. Riza you will sit next to me, okay?" It was a question, but at the same time there was no doubt in her voice. Riza had no choice in the matter.

"It would be my pleasure." she said a little helplessly. Weird people confused her more than normal people, which already didn't make much sense to her.

* * *

**Beacon Academy - Main Hall, January 26th, AW 675**

In the slowly emptying hall was another girl all by herself watching the crowd. She had been quiet the whole time and made no effort to communicate with anyone. With a strong hand she combed through her long, black hair.

'Beacon is a lively place. Not at all like home. Ozpin is different from what father described.' the girl was lost in her thoughts.

Students took occasional looks at her, but the air around her made them keep their distance. This young woman was called Alexandra Wilhelmine. A real tongue-twister. Her red eyes focused on the two wounded fools which were being carried out of the hall.

"Casually walking through the Emerald Forest..." Honestly she was impressed, but on the other hand she doubted those boy's intelligence. They were lucky to escape with only a few scratches. Of course she had seen that guy head-butt the air-ship too. At that moment she had been staring at the beautiful lush forest, when suddenly everybody gawked at some kind of spectacle. He hit the window magnificently and then fell to his untimely death... or so she thought.

'I'll become a huntress that is just as strong, but with a lot more brains.' with tender hands she rubbed her weapon. It was a pair black desert eagles. A girl caressing a gun would have made most people suspicious. But there was one person who didn't care about that it seemed. Alexandra hadn't noticed him until now, because he was in the shadows and for some reason he had no presence at all. Only the blinking of his camera revealed his position. Camera?

"What are you doing?!" she kicked after the boy who barely dodged her kick. He was holding a small camera and his position on the ground made it clear that he wasn't taking pictures of her face. But instead of being shushed away the boy used the chance to take even more photos. Because of her kick.

Her short black skirt was going up.

"Nice..." he said with an almost inaudible voice. His face was hidden behind the camera and all that was visible was his spiky turquoise hair.

"Youuuuu...!" A vein popped on her head. "Insufferable pervert!" with anger filled fists she punched at him repeatedly. He dodged most of them with ninja like reflexes, but one grazed his cheek. That apparently made him rethink his current situation and he went for retreat.

"Not so fast." a cold voice appeared behind the boy. A girl in a white dress with a scar over her left eye had already blocked his escape route. "How dare you take such indecent pictures!" from some kind of hammer-space she drew her rapier like weapon. Both girls were extremely pissed and extremely dangerous.

"...retreat." the boy pulled out some kind of round object and threw it to the floor. With a cracking sound the ball exploded into smoke and the two girls lost sight of him. When the smoke cleared they were the only ones left.

"Ts. Next time I see that dirty..." Alexandra sighed.

"Some people are just unbelievable." The girl with the ponytail agreed. Wilhelmine just noticed the crest and the obvious signs.

"Aren't you... Weiss Schnee? Heiress of the Schnee dust company?"

"Yes indeed! At least someone with a little common sense enrolled in this academy... do I know you?" she squinted her eyes.

"I don't think so... I mean I would never meet such important people." Alexandra answered nervously.

"Hm. If you say so." there was still doubt in her voice. "What's your name anyway?"

"Alexandra Wilfred." for safety purposes she went by that last name.

"Nice to meet you. It seems that you are a reasonable person. Just tell me if that lecher appears again and we will deal with him together, okay?" with those words she turned on her heels and left the main hall as well.

Alexandra slightly shook her head. That girl was quite arrogant, but as far as she remembered the Schnee company was a very strict place. That girl had more burdens on her shoulders than she let on. Alexandra ran away from that, but she didn't feel much remorse.

She adjusted her red, sleeveless top and looked outside. The weather was great in these parts of Vale. A rumbling from below made her jolt. It was her stomach...

A blushing black-haired girl left the main hall.

Beacon Academy - Cafeteria

"This is sooo good!" Jasna and Lucy were in some kind of perfect synchronization. Riza and Antonio watched them stuff their faces with wry smiles on their faces.

'Lucy can be quite energetic at times...'

"Do you think they will give me more meat if I ask nicely?" Jasna wondered while talking with a full mouth.

"Do you really need any more meat? You already got a 3:1 ratio between meat and side dishes." Antonio pointed it out, but it didn't really seem to bother him.

"If I can get away with this much, why not aim higher?" she said while pointing above her.

"That's true hahaha."

"Riza ~ You have to try this choco pudding ~" she was holding a spoonful towards Riza. "Say aah ~" Riza's tail twitched at the gesture, but she couldn't resist and took the spoon out of Lucy's hands.

"I can eat by myself." she said with mixed feelings and put the pudding into her mouth. An explosion of tastes hit her taste-buds and she almost cried out. It's been eternity since she ate something this delicious. When she was little they had a cook, but after the accident...

The sweet taste turned bitter at the unpleasant memories and she just nodded and said "Not bad." To put her mind off of the thoughts she changed the topic. "Antonio and Jasna are friends then?"

Antonio who had been putting a perfectly measured piece of meat in his mouth turned towards her. After gulping it down he answered. "We were... acquainted since long ago. She always was a troublemaker as far as I remember." he said jokingly.

"Yho whrnt bhetter tho!" Jasna added with a full mouth.

"Please watch your table manners, dear Jasna." he said with incredible patience. He must have dealt with her for a long time now. Jasna only nodded while stuffing her face even more. "Now allow me to ask you something in return. You visited Signal academy, correct?"

"Yes. How did you...?"

"It's quite easy. Most of Beacon's students come from Signal or a similar school. Also your weapon seems to be self-made." He was of course right. "I think it is pretty impressive."

"I don't know. It's just a retractable spear. What about your weapon?" she tried to hide her embarrassment by switching the focus back to him.

"Oh my weapon was created by a craftsman. I don't have the necessary skill to build something great like that. It's this umbrella." Antonio showed her a small retractable umbrella he had hidden in his vest. It looked quite normal, but her staff didn't look like a deathly weapon either. "It has a few different 'modes', but nothing too fancy. Your friend there has something far more interesting."

Lucy didn't react to the words. Dessert seemed to be more important. "Her swords?"

"Yes, they are fine weapons." he said this with a perfect smile, but didn't explain any further. Riza took a sip from her cup of clear water.

"Hey fox-girl! Since when do they let animals eat at the table?" from behind her appeared two delinquent looking 3rd years. One had a shaved head and the other dreadlocks.

"I think I lost my appetite now." they laughed disgustingly. Riza stayed calm. She had encountered many people like that before. If they said any more she would probably shut them up in a more physical way...

"I bet she gnaws on the food like a wolf with her sharp canine teeth."

"What a beast!" Riza could feel their stares of contempt from behind. She tightened the grip around her staff and her whole body was stiffening up. She was almost at her limit.

Suddenly loud sounds could be heard from Jasna. She was ripping her steak apart with her teeth in a very crude and animistic way. Two big gulps and it was down.

"..." everyone stared at her. She slapped the table and stood up.

"So you two monkeys think you are so much better? Want me to show you a real beast?!" her gauntlets were forming fists and she glared at them. Her mouth revealed her own canine teeth under a scary smile. The bullies gulped.

"Even her friends are animals..." one of them tried to continue, but he didn't sound as confident anymore. Jasna continued to grin.

"What's bad about that? Humans are just the smartest animals around. Though I can't say the same about men." she crushed the fork in her hand and approached the two guys. They took a few steps backwards.

Before the situation could escalate even more Antonio stepped in. "Now, now everyone. There is no need for this confrontation. Humans are indeed thesmartestanimals. And I think it would be smart for you two... gentlemen to leave now." his smile didn't waver and he didn't emit any kind of negative emotion, but the two bullies ran away immediately.

"We will remember this!" Those words were all the resistance they could muster. Jasna spat after them.

"Come back when you grew some ba-mmmph!" Antonio held her mouth shut with his hands.

"Please don't dirty your mouth like that, dear Jasna. Violence isn't the solution to everything." he scolded her with the most relaxed voice Riza had ever heard in such a context. Was he even trying?

The brown-haired girl freed herself of his hands and went back to her seat. "Guys like that just piss me off, is all..."

"Thank you... for stepping in." Riza said with a low voice.

"Pfff. Ahahahahaha!" her sudden burst of laughter startled Riza.

"H-huh?"

"I didn't step in to help you. I just saved those lowly rodents from getting their ass kicked by a proud fox." she winked. Lucy started chuckling too. Riza smiled a little bashful.

* * *

**Beacon Academy - Ball room, January 27th, AW 675**

That evening everybody gathered inside the ball room and prepared their 'sleeping gear' as Akashi would have put it. Everyone was talking about the initiation that awaited them tomorrow.

"You think it's some kind of written test?"

"Please let it be multiple choice..."

"We totally have to fight Professor Goodwitch in a one-on-one!"

"No way! She will kill you just with her glare."

"My brother told me they throw you into the Emerald Forest and let you fight Grimm..."

"Hahaha your brother was just making fun of you."

That and many more topics were flowing through the groups of friends, but eventually the room quieted down a bit. Lucy was lying on the floor in her pajamas (made of black wool and with a strawberry motif), listening to music. She was a paragon of easiness. If she even thought about the next day at all she didn't show it.

"I envy your attitude sometimes..." Riza mumbled while combing her long hair. It was her way of coping with anxiousness. She was wearing a tight, black pajama, opposite to her usual white and wide clothes.

"It'll be fine ~~" apparently Lucy had heard her. Her warm voice was relaxing. From somewhere Jasna came running.

"We are going to stay up aaaaaall night I telly ya!" she was shaking so rapidly as if she wanted to take off and fly to the stars like a rocket.

"But then we wont be fit for the initiation ceremony tomorrow." Riza tried to be diplomatic.

"Nonsense! We have to party all night to celebrate our... arrival... in Beac-*yawn*" But an instant later she fell face first to the floor and started snoring.

"Wha-?"

Antonio appeared and made an apologetic gesture. "Jasna is just like this. She is very true to her instincts. Let her sleep." He gently pulled Jasna towards her futon and put a blanket over her. After that he sat down leaning at the wall and opened a book. Without much ado he started reading and sank into his own world.

'Am I the only one who is anxious about what's to come?'

The main door slammed open and two familiar faces entered, sucking all the attention in the room towards them. It was the two young men who came late to the introduction today. Instantly a few students crowded around them, but for some reason dissipated immediately. The man in his blue vest with leather boots and leather gloves as well as a short white scarf came her way for some reason.

'He is not going to...'

But he was. Without a care he threw his bag to the ground and lied down leaning his head on it. He was only a few feet away. As if just noticing her he opened one eye and said "You don't mind me sleeping next to you?"

"Uhm... I... no?" she was confused by the way he put it.

"Good. Good night." And with that he started breathing low and regularly, dozing off into dreamland. The other boy was also coming this way. Nobody knew what he had to do with the blue guy, but he seemed to be bathing in confidence.

"Hey there ~" he greeted them with a wave of his hand.

"Hello..."

"Hi ~" Lucy was apparently still awake enough to notice the scene next to her.

"That Juge seems to be nothing but half-conscious, huh?" His remark didn't make much sense to Riza, but she nodded anyway. "Wanna draw on his face?"

"What? No! You can't do something like that to him." Riza got angry again. But the boy only laughed.

"Why not? This guy could need a new look. Have you seen his grumpy face? That's just depressing ~" he pulled out a black marker.

Riza's head started hurting again. "You just can't. Help me over here Lucy- huh?" Lucy was already next to the boy and also holding a marker.

"You think he would look good with a mustache~?"

"Nah. I was thinking along the lines of horns. He head-butted an air-ship like a bull after all." the both of them snickered.

"I can't believe you! He fell dozens of meters to the ground and was just released from the medical wing..."

"I know, I know. I was there too." the boy shrugged. "The name's Akashi Mayhiro. Nice to meet you fluffy." His words were far from serious.

"Don't call me that... what happened to you two anyway?" she started to focus on facts and try to blend out anything annoying.

"To be honest I don't know. He told me that he fought some Nevermore. After that he was hit by an air-ship and landed on me while I was fighting a Deathstalker. We managed to get through the forest without much of a problem after that." he was talking about it as if it was not worth mentioning.

"A Deathstalker?" Riza looked at him with a baffled face.

"It's all because he missed the air-ship. I live close to Beacon, so I thought walking here would be okay."

"J-just who are you guys?"

"Like I said, my name is Akashi Mayhiro. And I am going to be the top freshman student at Beacon!" he said it full of confidence. In that moment the man named Juge rose from his sleep barely avoiding Lucy's marker.

"I don't think so. I'll be the number one." Was he even sleeping? But he didn't react before...

"Well you better prepare to give up on that then, because I'll get that title soon."

"I can't stand below anyone." Juge and Akashi stared each other down. It almost seemed like sparks were flying between them.

"Why don't the both of you become the best students at Beacon ~" Lucy threw this in for peace(?) purposes. She threw her arms around both of them from behind and pulled them together. They didn't seem very fazed.

"There can't be two 'the best' students." They both agreed on this.

"You have a tough competition this year." a girl's voice came from behind them. It was the black-haired girl that already appeared in the main hall. She was leaning on a wall still in her normal clothes.

"And who are you?"

"You can call me Alexandra."

"It doesn't matter, I have to achieve this either way." Juge said it almost sad.

"I don't care why you have to prove yourself, but you should consider your rivals first. That over there for example is Weiss Schnee." she pointed at a girl in a dark blue night gown. "She is the heiress of the Schnee dust company and obviously very skilled." Riza nodded. Even she had heard of her.

"Then we have that famous Phyrra Nikos too. She was one of the top graduates from Sanctum." not far away sat a red-head girl with a calm expression. Alexandra scanned the room and looked at another pair.

"And that over there is Ruby Rose."

"Ruby?" Riza tilted her head. "What about her?"

"Didn't you read the news? She was involved with the capture of a bunch of criminals. They were working for that Norman Torchwick." That name rang a bell. He was known to be a nefarious villain who robbed dust shops and had connections to all kinds of people in the underground. "She also skipped two years in Signal and joined Beacon immediately. Don't you find that suspicious?"

"I think it's amazing ~" They watched Ruby talking to the blond girl again. She was her sister or something. They didn't look much alike.

"Competition keeps the world moving is what my father always says." Akashi didn't seem to be very impressed by all those names.

"It's good to have so many talented hunters at one place. We can learn a lot from each other." Juge was smiling as well.

'I am surrounded by maniacs.' Riza realized this inside her head. But if it meant that these people were strong enough to kill many Grimm... she wouldn't complain.

"Sure. I wouldn't expect any less from the heir of the Velmón family though." Alexandra shrugged and walked off.

"Velmón?" Lucy's blue eyes went foggy. The boy in the blue vest lied back down.

"Names don't mean much at a place like this." he went back to sleep, or whatever this state could be called. Akashi opened his marker with a 'plop' sound. His mischievous grin was somewhat contagious. Lucy had lost interest in the prank already and was listening to music again.

Not far away Riza noticed Ruby and her sister talking to a familiar girl. It was the black-haired girl who called herself 'Belladonna'. Riza felt a small bond towards her that was stronger than with most other people. She wouldn't reveal her secret though. It was understandable why she hid it.

"Oh I am so proud of my baby sister!" suddenly the blond girl started hugging Ruby to death.

"Cut it out!" They were engaging in a really loud cat fight.

"Ruby, Yang it's a pleasure to-" Belladonna tried to say something, but was interrupted by another yell.

"What in the world is going on over here?! Don't you realize some of us are trying to sleep?" it was Weiss Schnee. "Oh not you again!"

They were yelling at each other quite loudly.

"She is a hazard to my health!" Weiss said and easily woke up everyone in a radius of 20 meters.

"You are the loudest of them all!" said Mayhiro with a taunting smile.

"What- how dare you?" she turned towards him.

"He is kinda right. Can we please quiet down." Ruby seemed to be close to tears.

Blake had blown out her candles and was intend on ignoring them now. That made Antonio look up.

"Excuse me madame, but I still need that light, if you don't mind of course." his smile was hidden in the dark.

"Ah sure." she was surprised for a second, but reignited the candles. The scene had changed to Weiss and Akashi fighting verbally, while Ruby tried to calm them down. Yang was throwing in even more taunts. "What are you reading?" she asked to distract from the noise.

"It's a story about a man who is in search for his soul." Antonio was reading intently while replying.

"That sounds interesting." she put the candlestick next to him and turned to the other side to sleep. The two of them had that special kind of atmosphere that could only exist between quiet people who respect each others hobby.

"But they started it!"

"I can't hear you over your yelling, sorry!" Mayhiro was definitely enjoying this a little too much.

"Show her!" Yang put fuel into the fire.

"You are not helping sis!"

Jasna was suddenly rising, half-asleep and not really conscious. "An attack? Come get me... Grimm..." she started attacking the first person around her... Antonio. He magnificently dodged all her blows while reading his book.

"Ah now you've awoken the lion." he said. Riza put a cushion over her face to blend everything out. If she had intervened it would have gotten a lot louder. Lucy had the advantage of her loud music.

"Are you saying that's my fault too?"

"A few octaves higher and the windows will break."

"Hehehe." Yang snickered.

"This is bad, this is bad, this is bad..." Ruby's eyes were spinning.

When the noise hit its peak a sudden gust went past the faces of all people involved. The noise died down immediately. Those were... daggers. They were now stabbed into the walls.

"If you could all be so kind as to shut up. Some people had a concussion today." Juge had risen once again only to say this. Then he went back to sleep.

"The nerve-" but Ruby and Yang held her mouth closed with their hands. Ruby was as pale as a ghost and her eyes were white. Yang was sweating.

"Let's just go to sleep."

"I-I-I still have to finish my letter for my friends at Signal!"

"That guy..." Mayhiro smiled.

Finally everyone was ready to sleep. Riza's ears twitched one last time and then the lights went out.

* * *

**Beacon Academy - locker rooms, January 27th, AW 675 **

Juge and Akashi had been competing at everything since they woke up and finding their lockers first was also part of that.

"107... 108..." Akashi looked through all the numbers while running.

"...I don't think I actually got a locker yet..." Juge just realized this.

On the other side of the room Riza and Lucy entered with well rested expressions.

"Your tail was so fluffy~~ Better than my cushion ~"

"Wait... did you sleep on my-?" Riza wanted to scold her, but in that moment Weiss and Phyrra were passing them.

The white haired girl nodded at them and said "Try to avoid that way. Or you might get into contact with something nasty." They both tilted their heads while Phyrra smiled wryly.

After reaching the lockers they both took out their gear and readied themselves.

"They said we have to get into teams. We are going to be together right ~?" Lucy asked with a relaxed expression.

"I-if you want." Riza agreed.

In that moment Ruby and Jaune came their way.

"Come on Jaune. Let's go." Ruby was supporting him with her shoulder.

"Is it that what the princess was talking about?" Riza looked at the depressed Jaune.

"Morning ~~" Lucy greeted them. She had somehow obtained a new pack of pockys. She held it out towards them. Ruby took one while Jaune declined.

"Hello you two. Princess?" Ruby had a questioning look on her face.

"I meant Weiss Schnee. She warned us about something nasty..." Jaune sighed at these words.

"Where did I go wrong?"

"I think your choice of person was the greatest mistake." Riza said while shaking her head. They all walked to the cliff together while talking.

"Do I have to be more aggressive?" Jaune was still wondering.

"Only if you want to make her snap again."

"Well she just missed out then. Don't you lovely ladies want to be on the Jaune team? There are still two seats with your names on them." he straightened up and let go of Ruby's support.

"..." Lucy patted his shoulder.

"I see why you had no luck." Riza added.

"Why don't you two make a team?" Lucy asked Ruby and Jaune.

"Uh... that would be really... interesting, but I already promised my sis that... yeah." Ruby flailed around wildly. "W-why doesn't one of you try it?"

"Riza is with me ~" Lucy said more possessively than expected.

"Haha... haah. How unlucky for all of you..." Jaune seemed close to another breakdown.

"Cheer up. Who knows if we are even allowed to choose." those words from Riza seemed to light up Jaune's mood a lot. They reached the cliff.

Back in the locker room Akashi had found his locker. "Hah! I told you I'd be first." he turned around to Juge who... had already forcefully opened a locker by breaking its handle and put his stuff in there just to pull it out dramatically.

"Sorry, but I was faster."

"You totally broke into that locker."

"What are you saying...?"

"I can see the broken handle in your hand..."

Juge put it away immediately. "Fine. I didn't have a locker yet. I had no time to get one yesterday."

"Honesty always pays off." Akashi laughed and got his hammer from the locker. "Wanna race to the cliff?" The question was meaningless, because Juge had already started to run. For a different reason though.

"That's an early start!"

"That's not it. Didn't you notice? We are late. Again!"

Mayhiro gulped and increased his speed. Just in that moment a brown-haired girl with a long red scarf was coming from the side. She noticed him too late and they crashed into each other. Juge disappeared towards the horizon.

"Damn it... this is not good." Akashi rubbed his hurting head when he noticed the girl's expression. She was extremely angry.

"You. Dirty. Pig!" She metaphorically and literally exploded.

A few seconds later Antonio appeared only to find Jasna punching a boy with her right fist while holding him with her left hand.

"I said- OUMPH... I'm sorry- ARGH." The short-haired guy was trying his best to apologize, but to no avail.

"Dear Jasna, please let him go. He already apologized..." he made a peaceful gesture.

"Never ever! That pig touched me!" her eyes were burning flames.

"Maybe. But we are late. Do you want me to leave you behind?" he tried to go at it from a different angle. Jasna flinched and turned around.

"You wouldn't do that right?!"

"O-of course not. That's why I am saying we should go for the cliff now."

Jasna thought about it for a second and then nodded. "Okay." she didn't let go of the young man and started running towards the cliff, while dragging him behind.

"Oh." Antonio tilted his head. That didn't quite go as planned.

Beacon Cliff - Launch pad, January 27th, AW 675

"For years you have trained to become warriors. And today your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest." Ozpin said.

'They are actually going to throw us in there?!'

Glynda continued the introduction.

"Now, I am sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of teams. Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates. Today."

Many people gasped or looked surprised. Riza nodded almost indiscernible.

"These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon. So it is in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work well." Ozpin elaborated.

Lucy gave Riza a thumbs up.

"That being said... the first person you make eye-contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years."

'What kind of rule is that?' Riza face palmed.

Not far away Alexandra bit her lower lip. Many others showed disbelief as well.

"After you've partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path... or you will die." Ozpin's words made people gulp. "You will be monitored and graded for the duration of your initiation, but our instructors will not intervene."

After looking at his future students he continued.

"You will find an abandoned temple and the end of the path, containing several relics. Each pair must choose one and return to the top of the cliff. We'll guard that item as well as your standing and grade you appropriately. Are there any questions?"

Jaune instantly held his hand up and asked Ozpin something. he ignored him and asked them to get into position.

"I can't believe they are actually throwing us in there..." Riza sighed and got into her stance.

One after another the platforms below the students shot them towards the green forest.

"See you sooooooon ~~" Lucy was catapulted away. Riza felt excitement and adrenaline building up inside of her and she could hear the mechanism under her plate clicking. With a creaking sound it went forward and shot her towards the sky.

More people followed and eventually even Jaune was catapulted away.

Ozpin took a sip before noticing 4 dots closing in. "Hm?"

Juge was the first to reach the cliff and he was catapulted away while only stepping on the platform with on foot. It looked like he was a ballerina in mid-jump. Right behind him appeared a rather relaxed Antonio. He gracefully stepped on his place and was shot in an upwards position.

"Waaaaaaaiiiit!" Jasna jumped on the last platform while still holding Akashi.

"Please let go..." but they also joined the sky and fell towards the forest.

Ozpin took another sip from his cup while watching all of them fly away. Glynda sighed.

* * *

**Emerald Forest - Above the trees, January 27th, AW 675**

Most students handled the first task with ease. That task being the landing. People like Ruby and Weiss used their weapons to their advantage. Others like Yang managed to jump off the trees. Jaune was saved by Phyrra's spear.

Lucy pulled out her yin and yang swords and stabbed them into the first tree branch she encountered. With a full spin she reduced her speed and landed on her feet on the grass below.

"Phew ~~" she released her breath and stretched a little.

Not very far away Riza threw her extended spear into another tree and jumped onto it. Using the bounce to pull it out and jump even further she landed on a huge rock.

"I made it."

Antonio used his open umbrella to glide to the ground in a photogenic fashion.

Way further ahead Jasna pushed Akashi down.

"H-hey let go of me now."

"Shut up. You want to make it up to me? Be my landing cushion!"

"That's not related at-" but before he could finish his complaint they already crashed into the ground. Akashi's body slid through the mud and grass for about 20 meters and then stopped.

"We are even." Jasna said without taking another look at the demolished Akashi. His soul was leaving his mouth. "Anto?" she yelled while running deeper into the forest.

At another place Juge was about to land. He extended his whip and wrapped it around a tree branch. The boost made him fly to the next tree. This one was different. Black and of a special texture...

"Black... feathers..." Juge realised what was going on, but it was too late. The Nevermore cried out and opened it's giant beak. 'Come on! I only eliminated 4 of your brothers...' With great agility he kicked himself off the giant bird's head and got behind it. With a swing of his whip he got a hold of the Nevermore's wing. Then he noticed something weird. The Nevermore had a burnt circle around its neck.

"You..." the bird flapped one wing and pulled Juge around picking at him with full force. "Ts. You waited here all this time for revenge?" he pulled out his dagger and rammed it into the beast's shoulder muscle using the motion to get on its back. "It wont be any different from last time!"

But the Grimm had learned its lesson. With a suicidal turn it crashed back first into the next giant tree. Juge barely got away by kicking off the Grimm's neck. He slapped the whip at the bird's eye and wounded it. The painful gawk reverberated inside the forest. But a cornered beast could become quite dangerous. Its razor sharp claws were already closing in on the pesky blue human.

"You never learn... today I don't need your travel services!" his whip went into ice mode, but just when he was going to freeze the monster's legs his vision became blurry and a pain hit his head. 'Damn... it...' The aftereffects of his fall yesterday hadn't worn off yet. With a snapping noise the claws closed around him and the Grimm screeched triumphantly. Juge regained his senses and used one of his daggers to cut his arm out of the smallest claw. Another move and his right arm was free. The whip stretched out around the leg in an unnatural movement and he pulled himself up.

While the young man tried to escape the bird started to tire out. The wound in its shoulder and wing made it hard to fly. With two more flaps it went upwards - and then fell down fast.

"Come on!" Juge had almost pulled himself out of his claw prison, but it was too late, the bird already broke through the branches.

Emerald Forest, January 27th, AW 675

Riza used her ears to listen to everything around her. The fox ears were capable of hearing that exceeded any normal humans'. Normally they would be dulled so as to not hurt from the loud sounds, but right now she was trying to estimate her location and that of other hunters.

She could hear Lucy not far away. A little ahead was some kind of rumbling. Maybe an impact of some kind? And then an incredibly loud beast's scream reverberated through he forest. Riza held her hurting ears. "Ouch!" Confused for a few seconds she had to close her eyes. When she opened them there was someone standing on the grass. "Lucy?"

"Rizaaaa ~~?" It was indeed Lucy. Riza waved to make herself noticeable, but just when Lucy turned around a giant bird... a Nevermore burst through the branches!

"Wooooaaaah!" The boy in the blue vest... Juge Velmón was riding on it. He looked directly into Riza's surprised eyes. It was only one second, but he was her first eye contact. When the second passed the bird was already crashing into the ground and sliding into the deep grass. Juge managed to flip of its back and landed on unsteady legs. Before the beast could recover he already swung the whip in circles above his head.

"Dust change: Ice!" The whip started glowing white and blue. "Frozen lance!" he hit the ground and a giant pillar of ice broke through the Nevermore's ribs. With one last pitiful scream it exploded into ice-crystals and disappeared. Juge sank to his knees breathing hard. "What a surprise..."

"I am the surprised one!" Riza yelled at him from behind.

"Hm?" He stood up immediately and stared at her with his blue, focused eyes. "Oh it's you renard."

"What did you call me?" she looked confused.

"I'm sorry. It was my clan's ancient language. It means 'fox'." A rather crude choice. But Juge wasn't known to be a poet.

Riza looked at him to discern if he was saying it in a derogatory way. But Juge's expression just told her that he was indifferent. Lucy appeared from behind them.

"Rizaaaa ~~ Let's go find the relic." she didn't seem worried about Juge or the fact that a monster bird had barely missed her.

"Uh Lucy it looks like I am already this guy's... partner." she sighed.

"You are... what?" Now Juge was the one looking confused.

"Didn't you hear the rules? We have to partner up with the first person we make eye-contact with. They are watching us right now." Juge crossed his arms.

"I see. Then we will have to hurry. I am sure Akashi is already on his way to the relic." he turned around and walked ahead.

"You... don't even care?" she was a little disappointed. The boy turned around and smiled.

"You are the best partner I could wish for." Her eyes opened wide. "At least in a radius of a 100 meters. Let's go." And her face went dark.

"Aw... can't we create a team of three?" Lucy was nibbling on a pocky while looking dejected. Riza shook her head.

"We can't."

"Let her come along." Juge was already several meters ahead.

"But-"

"We can still lend her to any other classmate we meet."

"Is Lucy some kind of arts arts-and-crafts tool to you?!"

"Open page 65 for a instruction on how to make pockys with me ~"

"You are playing along?" Riza sighed and suddenly lost her strength. "Fine. We have to get those relics. I don't want a bad grade either." So the trio advanced into the deep green.

Emerald Forest - Near Jaune's landing spot, January 27th, AW 675

At a different place Alexandra went past a few bushes and looked up. There was a boy hanging at a tree. he was pinned up with a spear.

"Hello there. Great weather isn't it?" Jaune laughed awkwardly.

"..." Alexandra turned around and walked into a different direction.

"Hey please don't leave me!" Shortly after Weiss appeared. Jaune only waved to her... and she turned back to Ruby. "Aaw..."

While walking through the leafs of some small trees Alexandra accessed the situation. Apparently this forest was full of Grimm. She had known that before, but now it seemed odd how concentrated they were. Her books told people that Grimm appeared in groups and always wandered. At least most species. And now she was surrounded by them. Stopping her steps would have been the sign for the beasts to attack. So she calmly advanced while loading her desert eagles. They had .50 ammunition with a 7 bullet magazine. Considering the amount of enemies that wouldn't be nearly enough.

Suddenly a jolt went through the shadows and one enemy bigger than the rest appeared. It was an Ursa!

"Too slow." she had already aimed at the beast's head and shot two dust infused bullets at it. The creature was smart enough to hold a paw in front of its face. The paw exploded and was flailing away from the impact. The second bullet grazed the Ursa's white mask The explosion started behind it. "Lucky bastard..." she kicked off the ground and dodged the Ursa's attack, albeit barely. She didn't notice the Beowolf behind her. The lucky one was actually her as the Beowolf's attack was accompanied by it's roar.

Alexandra manged to block its sharp claws with her second desert eagle. The metal was strong and wouldn't even get a scratch. She turned and grabbed the creature's head. With a impressive somersault she went over it and hid behind the black frame. The Ursa was already attacking again and hit the defenseless wolf creature. Its yowling made the others in the shadow back away.

The Ursa roared and flung the dissipating corpse aside. With a jump it tried to squash Alexandra. She rolled to the side and shot two rounds at the vulnerable stomach. This time the dust bullets were infused with zero-g effects. The huge creature was floating helplessly. Alexandra climbed up the tree next to her and jumped on the Grimm's back. Aiming both of her guns at the armored head she clicked her tongue. "The bigger they are..." she pulled the triggers. With a loud sound the Ursa fell to the ground. It's head had two giant holes. "...the easier I can hit them."

She jumped off the disappearing monster and rubbed her hurting neck. Rolling around and flipping over enemies was tiresome. There were still more Beowolf around.

The first two were hit before even leaving the bushes. One more was hit by the explosion from another bullet. The last three jumped at her all at once. With an arc she blocked the first beast's claws and kicked the second one into the stomach. Right after she dealt the finishing blow with her gun. The third grazed her back and slightly ripped her red clothes. She could feel a cold and hot pain. The block was weakening for a moment and the first Beowolf broke through. Alexandra barely dodged and rolled through the creatures legs. Holding the right gun at it's back she released another shot. It went right through the first assailant and hit the second one behind it.

The creatures dissolved into dust and left her breathing heavily. She swiped away her sweat and rubbed her burning back. The wound was shallow. 'Two bullets in the left eagle and one in the right.' Without much ado she reloaded and holstered her weapons.

"You can come out now." she said with a harsh voice. And indeed a shadow came out of the bushes. It was a young man with an umbrella. He was holding a limp Beowolf and let it fall towards the ground.

"You noticed me?" his smile was vague.

"Minutes ago. Why are you following me?"

"To be honest I wanted to partner up with you, but was too scared to say anything." he shrugged helplessly.

"Is that also why you hid when I was in danger?"

"Of course not. I fought those creatures too. But it looks like you didn't need my help at all." he laughed sympathetically.

"Humph. I don't like you." She said it with determination.

"That hurts. It really does! But it looks like we are partners now anyway."

"Yes." she looked at the dense forest. "Did you find the relics?"

"Why would I have found them? Like I said I was just following yo-"

"Cut the nonsense. I know that you already found them. You wouldn't be coming from the north to search for a partner otherwise." The man stared at her for a few seconds. Then he let out a long, defeated sigh.

"You are very sharp. Yes, I have found the relics. But they serve no use for me alone. Do you want me to lead you there miss...?"

"Alexandra Wilfred."

"Nice to meet you. My name is Antonio Chessa. At your service." he bowed slightly. She looked down on him.

"Just walk ahead. I don't care why you were looking around watching others fight, but I guess you were just searching for a good partner. Very cunning to wait until I have proven myself." the word 'cunning' sounded like 'disgusting' out of her mouth.

"I assure you I did nothing of the sorts. If the great Jasna had been close by I would have teamed up with her immediately. But she is nowhere to be found." his face looked a little distant.

"Well we will definitely meet her at the temple." Alexandra said while tapping her foot.

"True enough." Antonio started walking towards the way he came. She followed right behind.

Emerald Forest – Cliffs, January 27th, AW 675

Dozens of meters away Jasna had to sneeze. She inhaled strongly and then shook her head. "Someone was talking about me! I hope it was a cute girl ~" she made a smug face and continued to walk down the cliff-side she had reached. There was nobody to be seen. It was frustrating how she had to walk around all by herself, but she didn't encounter any Grimm either. Sometimes she heard a scream, but when she turned around there was nothing but dust in the air. "Hop!" she jumped to the next lower rock. That's when she noticed...

"Who are you?!" there was a boy lying int he shadows. The only thing betraying his position was the blinking of his camera.

"...located." he retreated instantly, but Jasna was fast too. With a perfect dive-kick she hit the guy in the back. He crashed into a wall with his turquoise hair first. "...severe damage..."

"I am gonna damage you even more if you don't give me that camera, now!" she was cracking her knuckles with a angry smile. One of her eyes twitched. The position... that guy had taken those kinds of pictures.

"...sacrifice." he mumbled and threw his camera into the air. Jasna followed its movement with her eyes and in that moment the boy stood up and threw a object into the air.

"What?" the camera was hit and flew far away. One could see a parachute opening far away. "You... saved the camera instead of yourself?" she was more confused than angry for the moment.

"...art." he said with low voice. His eyes were surprisingly beautiful. It was even more unexpected as they were always hidden behind the camera objective.

"Well maybe you should ask your models for their consent next time!" she wasn't going to let him get away with this much. The small boy made a obeying pose and held out his wrists.

"...captured."

"I'm not from the police moron!" she slapped his wrists. He didn't even jerk. "Is this what you wanted? Think that's enough punishment? Are you a grade-schooler?"

The boy tilted his head and then turned around bowing down to hold up his behind.

"I don't want to slap your a-" this yell was interrupted by the hands of a Grimm that was running out of the forest towards them. Jasna couldn't make out its shape.

Almost instantly the boy got into position and pulled out two parts of a gun-like object. He connected them and it turned into a sniper-rifle. The shape of his enemy was very fast, but his aim was calm. Without wavering he shot the fast moving object and hit it dead-center. The beast dissolved without even being able to scream.

"Impressive." the word slipped Jasna's lips. The way the Grimm dissolved... and hadn't she seen this scene before. "Did you... keep them away from me?"

"...for art." he nodded.

"Thanks I guess." her face smoothened a little. "But" and her glare returned "that's no excuse!"

Soon after the small screams of a pervert echoed through the forest.

Emerald Forest -Grand hill, January 27th, AW 675

Not that far away...

"Did you hear that? That wasn't a Grimm!" Riza's good ears warned her.

"I didn't hear anything. It must be these cute things ~" she started rubbing Riza's ears from behind.

"Kyaa!" to her embarrassment Riza yelped. "D-don't touch them! It tickles." she pushed Lucy away.

"There is a cave ahead. Maybe you heard it from in there?" Juge was scanning the environment. Riza concentrated again. But there was nothing.

"Whatever it was... it is silent now." There was worry in her voice.

"We are searching for the relic, but we can't exactly ignore people in trouble. I'll leave the decision to you."

"Why?"

"Because you heard them. How sure are you?" Juge stared at her questioningly.

"...let's take a look." she made a decisive expression. Juge sighed and shrugged.

"Right after you renard."

"Stop calling me that. I have a name!"

"Riza Inari was it? Do you really want me to call you by that name?"

"How did you-"

"I am a Velmón."

His words were not making the situation any clearer to her, but they didn't have time to waste. So she went ahead towards the cavern. It was located right under a big hill with a huge rock on it. She entered it carefully. It was really pitch black in there.

"Looks scary ~" Lucy said jokingly. Riza ignored her and headed inside. Suddenly all of them could hear yells from the other side.

"That's not a relic Phyrra!" Riza would recognize this voice anywhere. it was Jaune, slightly more hysterical than usual. Screams followed and the loud sound of footsteps. Huge footsteps. But they were getting quieter!

"There is a second exit." Juge deducted.

"I'm going around the hill. That will be faster ~" even though her voice was still aloof, her eyes showed a sudden focus. With fast steps and jumps she advanced over the hill.

"In that case I will go inside!" Riza readied her lance and started running. Juge was cupping his chin with his hand. Another scream could be heard.

"Whatever you do Jaune, don't let go!" and then a small yell of something disappearing rapidly.

Riza was already deep inside the darkness. The young man made no attempts to follow her. If Lucy didn't reach them then Riza wouldn't make it either. But something was weird about this situation. He climbed up the hill towards the rock and scratched some of the dirt off with his dagger.

"!" Juge's eyes widened. "Riza! Get out of there immediately!" his words echoed inside the cave.

"What are you saying? I am almost at the exit-" but a sudden rumble made her loose balance. The floor had moved like after an earthquake.

"This is bad..." Juge jumped down towards the entrance. The earth started moving around the hill and trees, rooted there for hundreds of years, fell over. He looked at the darkness inside, but no sign of Riza. "Run!" he yelled.

Meanwhile Riza couldn't see her own hands inside the dark cave. She knew that she was close to the second entrance that Jaune and Phyrra used to escape. After being shaken around for a bit she managed to get steady again and ran ahead. There it was! A small light. 'The exit!' But for some reason it was shrinking. She stopped through the wet puddles below her and reached the 'exit'. It had already shrank to the size of her hand.

"Why...?" Juge's yell made her snap out of it. She ran in the opposite direction to get back to the entrance.

On the outside Juge had already placed a few thick tree branches to hold the entrance open. It was clothing and the 'rocks' were breaking oft heir dirt shell, revealing blinding white. "Faster!" He kept yelling commands into the 'cave'. But Riza was too slow. The branches started to crack. And the hill was already several meters above it's original height.

At the other end of the hill Lucy was watching the spectacle. "Ooh. It was a man-eating hill?" She didn't know what to do.

Riza had finally reached the entrance. But it was closing already. The logs and branches were too weak for the giant jaw. "What is this thing?"

"It's a Grimm." Juge answered while trying to break the giant teeth with his dagger. No use. The metal screeched without any effect.

"This whole hill?!"

"It's called Kurma and it never moves in centuries. It slowly devours creatures that end up inside it..." Juge stopped himself. This was no time for a lecture. "Stay at the 'entrance', I'll see what I can do!" he jumped up on the giant turtle's back again.

Riza gulped and readied her spear. She let it switch into trident mode. Now the tips were highly explosive on impact. But if she was right the teeth were way too hard to be broken.

Lucy meanwhile had made her way back up the hill. She saw Juge running up towards her.

"Help me please!"

"Okay ~ But how?" her good eyes analyzed every single detail of her surroundings with precision.

"You already noticed that this thing is a giant Grimm, correct? Find it's weak point in the back. There should be one small gap between some of the bone plates! Stab it, slash it, whatever, just make it scream in pain." Lucy nodded and walked up to the top of the hill. Her eyes scanned the grass and earth on top of the shell. After keeping her eyes open without blinking for a few minutes she found her goal.

"I got it!" she said and ran towards a small 'molehill'. Air had been released from there for decades, forming a natural hole. She kicked the earth and slashed the hole open deeper and deeper. Ignoring the earth and dirt covering her arms and swords eh reached a point where white shell was blocking the way. There was a very fine rift between the two shell segments. It was barely visible for the eye. Lucy inhaled deeply and then stabbed into the small space. The sword sank in like the shell was butter.

"Haaaaah!" with a crunching sound she ripped at the insides and created cracks in the plate. She pulled out her yin sword and got into a stance. "Double... hurricane!" she jumped and performed a spin slash on the cracked shell. With a pressure explosion the shell broke even more and revealed flesh under two meters of protective shell. "Scream for me." she whispered and stabbed both of her katana deeply into the creatures flesh.

GROOOOOOOWWWWL! The Grimm's painful roar was so loud it broke the dirt shell from the actual bone plates at several place. Revealed was a giant white protective shell with only on hole in it. The giant rock was actually a giant horn.

The jaw opened a bit, but still not enough for Riza to escape. Now it was Juge's turn. He wrapped Morte Consumptis around the giant horn and pulled with all his might. The creatures head barely budged. "Guuuh..." Juge's veins started appearing and his whole body stiffened up. With insane strength he pulled even harder and the monster's jaw opened another 10 centimeters! Lucy jumped towards him and started pulling too. Another ten centimeters!

Riza inside the jaw looked at the small opening that had appeared. She readied her spear.

"Open wiiiiiide!" she yelled and hit the teeth with her spear. It exploded at the tips and the small opening widened even more. With a suicidal jump she slipped through the small opening, barely big enough for her.

Atop the beast Juge and Lucy couldn't hold out anymore and let go. The horn flew forward and the jaws closed. Without resting for a second Juge jumped down the behemoth like turtle and caught Riza in her fall. Lucy was right behind them.

"Let's get out of here!" He said while looking ahead. When they reached the ground he let go of her and they ran towards the trees. The Kurma was huge and terrifying, but actually really slow. They were already out of its reach. After a few more seconds they allowed themselves to take a breath.

Juge sank down a tree and rubbed his hurting arms. Lucy put a whole pack of pockys into her mouth at once. Only Riza was standing there with a guilty expression.

"I'm so so-"

"I'm sorry!" Juge was faster than her.

"W-what?"

"I should have realized it sooner. What good does all the training and teaching if I can't even recognize a Kurma immediately... I should have warned you." he made a downcast expression.

Riza shook her head. "No it was my fault for running in there. I should have known Jaune and Phyrra can protect themselves." she bowed down to apologize. The atmosphere was awkward.

"Now I crave some turtle-soup." Lucy's comment was so out of place that... it made the other two laugh. They laughed all of the tension away until they were out of breath again.

"Haaa... haaa... we actually managed something great. They say 'Once you are inside a Kurma's jaw you may never return'." Juge held his head.

"Why did it suddenly move anyway?" Riza asked.

"There could be many reasons. Maybe Jaune and Phyrra did something inside there that hurt the Kurma. Or its prey was escaping and it wanted to close up. A Kurma eats by luring prey into the 'cave' and then closing the entrances and exits. Inside there should have been a liquid. Those are actually stomach acids. They are very weak though." Riza nodded. She had stepped into some puddles inside the beast.

"Such a giant Grimm exists." it was an... interesting experience. She didn't want to relive it though.

They all nodded. And then a shadow appeared in the bushes next to Juge.

* * *

Beacon Cliffs, January 27th, AW 675

Far away atop a cliff Ozpin and Glynda were watching the recordings from the forest.

"A Kurma?" she looked at Ozpin.

"A coincidence."

"We can't let such a thing roam around the relics."

"It will settle down." he wasn't showing much interest in the matter, but on his screen he watched the first pair reaching the relics.

* * *

** Emerald Forest - Old Temple, **** January 27th, AW 675**

"Chess pieces?" Alexandra raised a brow.

"It has a certain sublimity to it." Antonio shrugged softly.

"I think it's a metaphor for us being exchangeable pieces in a greater game."

"Such a pessimistic outlook on the world." he smirked.

Alexandra glared at him and went ahead to take one of the black pieces.

"The Queen? Now if I were a pessimistic person with a negative outlook on the world I would take it as a metaphor for..." but he stopped there before he loaded even more animosity on himself.

"Let's go back to the cliffs." she said coldly and walked away from the temple ruins onto the platform next to it.

"Don't you want to wait for the others? I would like to wait for Jasna and her partner." Alexandra stared at him.

"To finish our assignment we need to return to the cliffs. The other teams will make it here soon enough. Have some faith in your girlfriend." Those words made Antonio chuckle for some reason.

"Ahahaha... girlfriend? Faith?" his fingers went through his combed hair. "Far from it. But maybe you are right. She will have to develop new ties. I can't always look out for her." his expression turned melancholic for the first time. Alexandra felt troubled at that change of mood.

"..." she closed her eyes and crossed her arms. "Whatever. Then let's wait here for a bit." She sat down on the next best flat stone and crossed her legs.

"You are actually quite the good person, you know?" Antonio had returned to his perfect smile.

"Shut up and sit down." He followed her instructions without resistance and sat down on a tree stump.

From there they had a good look on the ruins. And shortly after many other teams appeared. They kept watching them from a distance.

Emerald Forest - Close to Grand Hill, January 27th, AW 675

"Behind you!" Riza exclaimed. Juge barely turned around to see his adversary. He slapped his whip against the shadow... which blocked it with a huge hammer.

"Huh?" Juge recovered his weapon and looked closer. "Akashi." he nodded towards the silhouette.

Akashi was leaving the bushes and smiled.

"Scared of me?" his face was covered in blood and his clothes full of dirt.

"Not me. Riza is a little jumpy right now."

"Hey!" she punched Juge's arm.

"Looks like you get along. So you three have been having fun while I ran around all by myself."

"Jealous?"

"Nah. I got to beat up a lot of Grimm. Works wonders for relieving stress."

"Hii ~" Lucy waved to the newcomer.

"Yo. Now you wish we had drawn on his face right?"

"Mustache ~"

"What?" Juge looked back and forth between the two. They ignored him and Lucy handed Akashi a pocky.

"At least you have a partner now." Riza smiled at Lucy. She nodded. But there was no real reaction... "Are you listening to music again?!" she grabbed Lucy's headphones.

"Hahaha." Akashi laughed and swiped some blood from his face with a handkerchief.

"Well let's not stand around. We still need those relics." Juge dusted off his pants and stretched his limbs. He then grabbed Riza's hand and started running.

"Wai-wha-why?" she was severely confused.

"We have to get there before those two!" he said with a confident smile.

"That's an early start, again!" Akashi yelled at him while trying to catch up. Lucy was also following at her own pace.

And thus the race for the relics continued.

* * *

So how did you like my friends work?

Johno 343 and Bugdevil: see you next week!


	3. Chapter 3

Hey Everyone, Enjoy the New chapter by me, the next one will be done by Bugdevil!

Disclaimer: THe content are not own by me, they are owned by Monty Oum, the other references in this chapter are owned by heir Respective Creators.

Arc 1: The shining Beacon. Chapter 3: Initiation part 2

* * *

**Emerald Forest - Near Old Temple January 27****th****, AW 675**

Lucy, Juge, Riza and Akashi ran though the dense bushes, with the man in blue and the Fox a few meters ahead of them, while Akashi and Lucy ran at their pace, both fast to keep up yet easy to run without losing stamina.

"...So I'm guessing no one has seen the temple or the relics yet?" Mayhiro shouted at them, Riza turned around giving Akashi a sad glance.

"No, none of us have." she sighed "We- _I _caused a bit of a mishap, we lost our way before you showed up."

"Oh?" the hammer wielder responded "Oh! You mean that Kurma? You were attacking that?!" Akashi shouted, the whip wielder sighed.

"Of course, but it is nothing to be proud of, we could have lost without teamwork, weren't it for Lucy, Riza-"

"No, it's my fault for charging head first, into its mouth..." Riza said rather hoarsely, "I should have been more cautious."

"Let's not bring the mood down~" Lucy chimed her word in, Riza screamed as she saw Lucy running beside her, leaving Akashi to himself "Hello~"

"Lucy! Don't do that! Especially after we barely escaped with our lives intact!" Riza clutched her chest to calm her breathing.

"Sorry, I thought I would cheer you up, but you sure are pretty jumpy after that~" Lucy smiled at her "Don't worry, everything is going to be OK!" her carefree smiled made the faunus girl loosen up a slight bit, knowing that she had comrades around her.

"So... with that out of the way, has anyone been able to find a clue... no wait does anyone have any idea wherever we're going?" Juge notice that Akashi was running beside him "Anyone?"

"...Nope." Lucy stopped. "Ah, I'm tired... Aka carry me~" holding her arm out like a child Lucy waited for her partner to carry her.

The Hammer user looked at her before looking back at Riza and Juge. "Is she... serious?" looking at Lucy once again, who was pouting like a lost child.

"Unfortunately she isn't kidding..." Riza rubbed her fox ears to calm herself "Lucy, you need to exercise more seriousness, we're in the middle of exams!"

"Aw... but my legs are tired... Aka please~?" putting her best pouting face she looked at Akashi. Juge rolled his eyes in disappointment and turned away.

"Riza, your friend has found a partner, it's best if we part ways now." dusting himself off, he grabbed his partners hand having made up his mind, Riza on the other hand tried to pry herself from his grip.

"Hey, let go!" the faunas yelled "We can go together, it'll be better! Not to mention safer!"

"Indeed, However: we are a team." Juge answered "They are a team as well." sighing he looked into the eye of his Faunus teammate "Lucy has proven now that she can take care of herself, she doesn't need anyone to hold her hand."

"But!" Riza tried to find an answer to counter back his argument, but she couldn't "I understand."

Juge nodded as he let go of her hand, rubbing her to sooth the slight pain she looked back at Lucy with a guilty look. "Lucy... I'll be going..."

"Ah, don't cry Riza~" Lucy smiled at her with a caring expression "I know you'll be okay, it was nice meeting you!"

"Don't say it as if this is final!" Riza said that a bit loud getting a surprised looks from all three "I mean... don't say goodbye... think of it as... see you soon!" she perked up flashing her fox-like teeth in a smile "Besides I hate goodbyes. They are too sad."

"Then~ See you soon best friend~!" Akashi looked at her.

"Best friend?" the brown haired boy look amused.

"Yes, Riza is my best buddy" Lucy smiled at him.

"I see."

Riza's eyes widened, surprised at Lucy's remark...

But she was happy... to be called someone's close friend.

…...

"Thank you Lucy." she smiled, a red tint dusted her cheeks "Well... you stay safe okay?!" she pointed her finger at Akashi "If I see so much as a scratch on Lucy, you'll be in a much worse state than you can imagine."

"Wow Fluffy, ease up!" Akashi laughed, her red cheeks turned to red form embarrassment.

"My names is not fluffy!" She screamed causing a few bird to fly away.

"Like I said: ease up, I'll take care of Lucy" giving Riza the thumbs up "A Mayhiro never goes back on his word!"

She stared at him a little doubtfully but then nodded. "...thanks Akashi. See you guys." Riza bowed slightly before running towards Juge, who stayed silent nodded at Akashi the two heading into the forest.

"Ah~ I miss her already~" Lucy pouted as her blue eye stared to the ground "I'm sad~"

"Hey-hey, it's alright, we'll see them again... well not Juge. But Riza definitively we'll see again: You two are best friends right?" Raising an eyebrow as a faint but visible red appeared on Lucy's cheeks.

"Yeah. We're friends~" Lucy smiled at him. Nodding at her answer he jerked his thumb backwards.

"Come one, I think I know here these relics are, I saw two girls with another group talking below me... I would have gotten the relic, but I need a partner." Grinning he raised his fist towards her "You wanna become _the best_ with me?"

"Sure." Lucy smiled again. Akashi's face faltered.

His heart skipped a beat.

"But you've gotta carry me~!" Akashi yelped as Lucy latched onto his back grinning widely.

"Fine... let's go." sighing, he gave into the demand of his new found partner... the partner he would be with for the rest of his life in beacon.

"Name's Akashi Mayhiro, nice to meet you."

"Lucy Stripes... nice to meet you too~ Wanna pocky?"

"Sure... it's chocolate right? I hate strawberry!"

"Yes, it's chocolate." Lucy handed him a few sticks, the boy accepting them.

Unknown to both of them, two black globs slowly ran down a nearby tree, following them into the darkness.

* * *

**Emerald Forest - Near the relics January 27****th****, AW 675**

"...Located." The Turquoise haired boy muttered, looking though his sniper rifle. Standing up as he picked up his weapon he looked over towards Jasna who was cleaning her face from the blood. They fought a while ago.

"Huh? You say something Pipsqueak?" her violet eyes glared straight through him. Gulping he nodded.

"Located." he pointed towards beyond the cliffs, grunting, the girl pushing him out of the way, squinting her eyes to get a better overview she spotted a run down building with podiums inside, forming a circle she notice several golden sparkles and the same amount of black pieces there.

"That's the place? Kinda tacky if you ask me..." the orange brawler paused as she spotted a familiar figure. "Anto!?"

"Drink." the blue haired boy cupped his hand as the water dipped into his hands before bringing it towards his mouth.

"No time for that pipsqueak!" his blue eye widened as Jasna grabbed the back off his shirt, dragging him towards the cliffs once again "You can drink later for all I care, all I need to know is if that's Anto!" channeling her aura into her right arm she hurled the boy in the direction of the figure.

"GO FIND OUT FOR ME!"

"Help..." was his only reply as sailed thought the air.

"With a lightweight body like that, he'll be fine... or broken in half... I don't really care." the brawler smirked as she was skidding down the cliff, occasionally avoiding the boulders that were in her way. As she softly landed on the ground, she ran towards her flying partner and the people in the distance.

"Anto!"

* * *

**Emerald Forest – Relics Sanctuary January 27****th****, AW 675**

Antonio smirked as a familiar scream reached his ears.

Alexandra rolled her eyes as she watched her partner's friend coming closer to them.

"Catch him!" Jasna yelled again as she pointed into the sky.

"Huh? What's she on about?" The girl with a bow in her hair (known as Blake) raised a brow at her, however her blonde haired friend (and partner) nudged her "Oh."

The blue haired boy made a bee-line towards them, Jasna's aim was dead on.

"Don't worry I've got this..." her voice deepened as Alexandra aura swirled around her, "Uh... you alright?"

"That's the pervert." taking her guns out she aimed at him.

"Hey what are you doing, that's no Grimm!" she shouted at her, but the black haired girl wouldn't listen.

"Die pervert!"

And she shot.

The marksmen noticed the flash from her guns. "Retaliate." joining his two gun together he fired from his hip with a moment's notice. The two bullets clashed, created a mini explosion. With force of the bullet, the boy slowed down, rolling forwards to shift his momentum off him, as he aimed at Alexandra.

"You." he only spoke in a small voice.

"You!" Alexandra seethed as she aimed her eagle at him. "If you don't hand over the picture right now: Grimm or not, you're going to pay!"

"...No." getting up he still had his hand on the trigger "Art."

"Don't make me repeat myself pervert!" she snarled as the grip on her gun tightened, making the boy copy her move.

"Negative."

"Time out!" the blonde bombshell, got between the two hunters. "Let's not kill anyone for whatever reason now, okay?"

"Back away Yang Xiao Long, you have no idea who this scum is." Alex grunted, still keeping her guns up. "He took pictures."

"Okay... kinda weird... but there's no harm in taking snaps." the girl called Yang tried to diffuse the situation.

"You shouldn't jump to conclusions Yang, he took photos... of our... of underwear."

* * *

**Emerald Forest – Somewhere, January 27****th****, AW 675**

For some reason Akashi felt like exploding from laughter, but he chose to keep it quite.

"Hehehe..."

* * *

**Emerald Forest – Relic Sanctuary January 27****th****, AW 675**

That one sentence from Alexandra had Yang and her partner glaring daggers at the blue haired boy.

"...not good."

"Come again... it seem like you said 'he's taken photos of our panties'?" Yang tried to keep calm hoping that Alex was joking. Belladona's amber eyes glared deep into the boy's blue eyes.

"What I said was true: this scum took pictures of my... panties as you put it..." Alex peered over Yang shoulders.

"Where did he go?" Yang spun around to see the the outline of the pervert boy that had been standing there a moment ago.

"What the-?"

"Captured." the boy grabbed one of the chess pieces.

"Well well well, looks like you've gotten yourself into a pinch." turning his head the boy watched Antonio strolled towards him. "My name is Antonio Chessa, I have to admit, that you are quite the marksman, not just anyone is able to hit a bullet with another."

The boy nodded "And what's your name? You do seem to be... the quiet type."

"...Kirk." The boy finally known as Kirk nodded.

"Kirk? A nice na-"

"Hey, who gave you permission to talk to Anto!?" Antonio side stepped as Kirk's head was driven into the cold ground, rock came tumbling out the line. Jasna, who had her hand on the back of Kirk's head moved a couple of meters forwards before stopping.

"Dear, Jasna?"

"Anto!" Jasna evil expression turned to a happy smile, getting off the boy she ran towards him at blinding speed before delivered a hard right fist into his gut, making Antonio wince in pain. "YOU BIG HEAD DUMBASS, WHY DIDN'T YOU COME AND FIND ME!?"

"Jasna. Please stop." the usually composed man was being shaken to death "I had complete and utter faith in you, hence why I didn't come and fetch you and it seems that you've found yourself a partner. Who looks like he's bleeding out..."

"Oh this twerp?" Jasna spat "He's just some pervert that took a photo of my panties."

"...I see... but nevertheless he's still your partner dear." Antonio sighed before patting her shoulder "He did retrieve a chess piece for you."

"Chess pieces?" her face scrunched up before seeing Kirk's hand holding the relic "What the heck?"

"From my understanding, it's what Professor Ozpin asked to collect for our test: These are the relics. They're chess pieces." Antonio explained as he held his piece. "Me and Alexandra are already a team. I suggest you do the same."

"But Anto!"

"No buts Jasna." her friend scolded her, biting her lower lip she gave a frustrated sigh before walking towards the Kirk boy, only to find out that he had disappeared again. "Huh?"

"Located: Nevermore." as the group bunched up they found that Kirk was couched on top of a pillar with his sniper rifle fixed again. They followed the gun barrel towards a Nevermore that was flying above them.

"Caution: Unknown object falling form nevermore." Kirk quickly changed his scope to a more bigger one "Correction: Falling Huntress."

"...When did he get up there?" the orange fighter glared at Kirk. Alexandra stared before aiming her gun at him, but decided not to shoot.

"Tch... next time."

"Kirk can you tell us anything else?" Antonio called out.

"Cape."

"Cape?" the umbrella armed man repeated.

"Red cape."

"That's!" Yang shouted out.

"...hhhhhhhhead up!" sure enough the blonde brawler's suspicions were correct. Ruby was falling from the Nevermore at a dangerous pace. But before anyone could do something about it a blur of blonde that came from out of nowhere hit the scythe wielder, changing the course and flying into a tree.

"Crisis averted." Kirk muttered before he zoomed in again "Nevermore: Coming in hot-" he raised an eyebrow as he focused on a unfamiliar figure hanging on the talons of the Nevermore.

"..."

"What else is there Kirk?" Antonio shouted to him.

"...Unknown." jumping off the pillar in a safe motion he met up with the rest of the group (who was mostly still giving him the death look). Before anyone would say anything again, a loud roar echoed through the forest, turning to their right they saw a Ursa on it's hind legs as it crashed though the forest, as everyone took their stance, a pink bolt of dust erupted from the Grimm back, followed by a girl trying to be a cowgirl.

The Ursa slumped forwards as it stopped moving. Everyone watched as young girl with orange hair (a bit lighter than Jasna's) assessed her work.

"Aw... it's broken!" she whined.

Or at least they thought was assessing.

"Nora... please" from behind the dead Ursa emerged a male teen with eastern style clothing "Don't ever do that again." looking up to get confirmation that she heard he looked up.

Only to find that she wasn't there anymore.

"Nora?"

"Ohhhhhh!" The girl named Nora looked at the gold chess piece before picking it up, she began to dance with it.

"NORA!" the boy in green yelled at her.

"Oops! Sorry Ren!" she giggled before seeing Kirk "Hey!" she pointed at him "You're the guy who took photos of my panties!"

"Correct." Kirk replied, Alex and the other girls jaws dropped.

"Damn pervert!" Alex screamed "Just wait until I get my hands around your neck. I'll-"

A loud and monstrous sound interrupted her speech as the gang watched as a girl with red hair ran from the Forest, being closely followed by a death-stalker, in large claw trying to cut the girl in half as she narrowly escaped its clutches.

"Jaune!" she cried.

"Phyrra!?" the blonde blur know as Jaune shouted back, as Ruby finally regained her balance.

"Whoa!" getting to her feet she jumped off the tree trunk, as she sprinted towards her older sister leaving the poor boy hanging there.

"Don't leave me!"

"Ruby!?" Ruby smiled as her older sister opened her arm wide.

"Yang!"

Before they could embrace, a familiar orange haired girl popped out from no where.

"Nora!" she yelled throwing her name into the mix.

Belladonna, who was still glaring at Kirk sighed before turning to her blonde partner "So you're telling me that Nora- rode all the way here on a Ursa?" she glance at Phyrra who was still being chased by the death stalker. "And she ran all the way here with a death stalker on her tail.

Yang had enough commotions for 5 minutes, her aura flared as her lilac eye turned burning red, the aura turned into flames that danced around her "Can everyone CHILL OUT for just a goddamn minute!? I have it up to here with crazy!" she spun around and pointed at Kirk.

"And you, if I ever see you taking photos of girl's panties again, I'll break your camera and then your face got it!?"

"...acknowledged." Kirk paled.

"And you!" she pointed at Nora "Stop being everywhere for one second and stay in one place, you're going to give me an heart attack!"

"Okey dokey!" Nora grinned as she saluted. Yang grunted as she looked at Phyrra.

"And you, stop being chased already and deal with the Deathstalker!"

"I'm sorry!" she cried back as she barrel rolled from a ram attack.

Yang panted as she regained her breath. Kirk and Ruby looked at the sky once again before seeing the figure dangling form the Nevermore's talons.

"How could you leave me like this!?" the figure cried out.

"I SAID JUMP WEISS!" ruby screamed for her to hear. Unfortunately the wind was strong and swallowed her sentence, the only thing she heard was:

"JUMP!" closing her eyes Weiss let go.

"She's falling." Ren had reached the group as the watched the heiress fall. Kirk on the other hand had unloaded the clip from his gun and pulled out a arrow with a silver tip, the back of his gun flipped open as he loaded the arrow in the chamber, zooming in on her he tried to spot a lose flap anywhere, to change the direction.

Meanwhile, Jaune had untangled himself from the tree and emerged form the branch, panted he saw Weiss falling to her demise, running and leaping of the branch he timed in perfectly catching Weiss bridle style.

"Dropping in?" Jaune couldn't help but to picture Lucy laughed for his joke and Riza scolding him for it. Weiss looked at him before looking at the ground. Jaune followed suit.

Oh yeah, Riza would have scolded him for this.

Both wide eyed the Weiss clung on to him and Jaune whimpered.

He could hear the scolding already.

"Oh god!"

Jaune screamed as the two fell, him landing belly first into the ground and Weiss landed on him.

"My hero." she deadpanned.

"My back..."

Phyrra was send flying towards the group in a heap and Yang sighed.

"Great now the gang's all here, now we can die together!" Yang announced happily.

"Not everyone is here, Riza and Lucy aren't." Ruby reminded her "Besides, no one is going to die on my watch!"

Facing opposite her, she fired crescent rose as she turned into a blur, coming straight at the scorpion Grimm, however the scorpion like beast batted her away, causing her to fall hard. Yang cried out to her, but the dark haired girl assured that she was okay. That is until the land Grimm chased after her, wasting no time she placed her weapon back behind her and made a run for it, Yang sprinting towards her.

Kirk watched at the Nevermore came flying behind her, knowing its eye was directed at Ruby, he shook his head and ran in front of the pack, placing his ammo back into the gun he loaded the chamber.

"Support." taking fire at the Nevermore he fired bullet after bullet with precise aim, the bullets went through it like butter, it flailed for a bit before shaking it off.

"Curses." Antonio clicked his tongue as he also aimed at the nevermore, the sliver tip of his umbrella opened "Jasna go with Ms. Yang and support her."

"Roger!" the gauntlet wearing girl ran after Yang, her eyes blazed with helping her female friend.

"Kirk, see if you can knock off the Nevermore before it goes for another attack!" Antonio barked at Kirk. The blue haired boy nodded.

"Copy, switching ammo." the magazine dropped as Kirk reached into his bag and pulled another magazine in red. Clipping it in he aimed again. "Dust fire bullets." shooting the gun fire like a red aura traveled to and straight passed the Nevermore's carpus giving a squawk of pain it fired it's black feathers at Ruby in anger.

"Crap!" Antonio cursed, which was unusual for him. 'That's not good, she has to survive!'

Yang and Jasna ran as the black rain of feathers blocked their path. "Don't get in my way!" the blades on Jasna's gauntlets extended as she sliced the feathers like butter, the Nevermore continued his attack, marking the two as well as ruby. One of them snagged Ruby's red cape causing her to fall to the ground.

"Ruby!" Yang cried again as she followed Jasna's path, but there was too many feathers to cut. "Get out of there!"

"I'm trying to!" Ruby tugged at her cape trying to free herself, but her eye traveled towards death stalker, it's stinger ready to kill its target.

"Damn! It's no use!" Jasna spat out, Yang reached out her hand to Ruby.

"Ruby NO!"

3 blurred figure rushed past her making her close her her eyes to shield herself from the dust.

Ruby closed her eyes hoping that it would end quickly.

Her vision closed she heard a sickening crunch that surrounded her, followed by the air being sliced and someone taking the weight of the cape and jumped away with her.

Ruby slowly opened her eye to see Riza looking at her with worried eyes "Ruby are you okay?!"

"Riza..." Ruby smiled as she hugged her quickly "I'm okay, thanks... who saved me?"

"Those two." the faunus girl pointed to Weiss, alongside Juge created a large wall of ice to stopped the death stalker sting.

"Whoa..."

"You are so childish!" Ruby turned her head toward Weiss with a less then amused face. "You're dimwitted, overly hyperactive... did I mention childish?" she huffed, "And let's not even talk about her fighting style." looking at Ruby who had her head down she sighed "And... I suppose... that I... may be... difficult to be with..." Weiss slowly extended her hand to Ruby, the silver eyed huntress looked at her "But if we're going to make it out of this alive then we're going to have to do this as a team, so if you would quit showing off, I'll be..._ nicer_."

"You have a nice side?" Riza raised an eyebrow, making Weiss glare and her "Kidding."

Ruby giggled before taking her hand. "I wasn't trying to show off. I was trying to prove that I can do this."

"You're fine." Weiss sighed, Ruby sighed in relief "Normal knees..."

"Ruby is already normal. She just has a certain uniqueness to her." Riza smiled but it soon turned into a frown "But don't you ever play hero again you hear?!"

"Yes mum!" she dragged as Riza's eye twitched.

"Come on..." Riza sighed.

Juge ran his hand through his brown hair as he watched the stalker trying to break free "...Akashi would have been done with this more quickly."

"Juge, come on we're grouping up!" Nodding at his partner's words and jogged towards them.

Running towards the group he saw the Nevermore circling around them.

"Guys, that thing is coming for us... what are we going to do?" It was Weiss's turn to speak.

"There's no sense in twiddling our thumbs, our objective is to grab the artifacts and head back to the cliffs."

"Right!" Ruby agreed "There's no point to try to fight these Grimm."

"Wait a second." Yang interjected before turning to Juge "You can finish off the Nevermore right... everyone saw you kill five like it was nothing."

"True, but in my current status that's impossible." Juge admitted "Me, Riza and Lucy had just fought a Kurma with barely escaped with our lives, also my head is still not quite over the concussion it seems."

"Right. That sucks." Yang chewed the insides of her cheek. Riza coughed into her hand.

"But that's why we have teammates right? To have them cover our weaknesses and in turn cover their weaknesses."

"So what's the plan?" Blake asked.

"Run and live, we can't do much against those." Jaune replied

Everyone nodded as Juge, Jaune, Ruby and Riza grabbed their chess pieces.

The death stalker was beginning to free itself form i's ice prison. Ren noticed it.

"It's high time we left."

"Right." Ruby smirked as she led the pack "Let's go."

Yang watched as Ruby ran towards the hill point smiling with pleasure. "Something wrong?"

"No, it's nothing..."

Riza looked back hoping to see her friend running behind them. "Riza, they'll be fine... we need to focus on passing and getting out of this situation."

Riza bit her lip and nodded. "Right... Akashi.. Lucy. Please be safe."

* * *

**Emerald Forest – Nowhere Near the Relics, January 27****th****, AW 675**

"We're lost." Akashi sighed in defeat, Lucy munched on her pocky "Could have sworn it was around here."

"Maybe we should have followed that girl that rode the Ursa~" Lucy sang, as Akashi nodded.

"Trust me and my brain to follow my instincts." looking at the blue sky turning orange he kicked the ground "Come on let's back track a bit."

"Sure." Lucy got up and followed the hammer user and the trekked the lush green forest. "Maybe Riza and Jugey have got there artifact already~?"

"Maybe. That's why we need to find it before we throw in the towel." Akashi reminded her as they ducked under the overgrown tree root.

"..."

"Lucy?"

"I'm sensing someone." Lucy's carefree manner of lessened a bit as they heard rustling in the bush, Akashi grunted as he brought his hammer out. Lucy unsheathed her katanas before she fell into position.

"Come out now. Let's not do anything stupid okay?" Akashi commanded as he flared his aura.

"Y-yes... please don't hurt me!" Akashi was surprised when a female voice replied back. From the bushes came a girl with long brown hair, but what caught both Lucy and Akashi's attention were her long bunny ears.

"..." the Girl looked scared a bit timid and her body shook, her hazelnut brown eyes looking down on the ground.

"Hello~" Lucy smiled at her, taking a step towards her She quaked before stepping back.

"Please... I mean no harm. I got lost from my teammate, so I followed you guys..." she whispered. Lucy smiled bigger as she pulled her into a warm hug. "EEEK!"

"Bunny ears? That's cool. What's your name Ms...?"

"Scarlet... Velvet Scarlatina." Velvet spoke "...um mm"

"Oh yeah, what happened? Wheres your weapon or armor?" Akashi asked nicely "It would be kinda stupid to do an exam without a weapon."

"My weapon..." Velvet grabbing her sack from behind her and unwrapped it, revealing shards of metal and Armour. "My Armour was destroyed when I had my guard down for a second... a Beowulf attacked me and my partners from the back... now I don't know where she is..." she said sadly.

"Awww that's too bad~" Lucy hugged her again "You can come with us, we're lost to~"

"Really!? Can I?" She asked with a bright look on her face "I won't be much help to you without my weapon though."

"It's fine! Besides, we all have to stick together right?" Akashi winked at her, as he gave the thumbs up. "Come on, let's roll!"

…..15 minutes later...

* * *

**Emerald Forest - Near the relics January 27****th****, AW 675**

"Akashi, Lucy!" Velvet cried "I think I found the place!" the two ran towards Velvet with speed as they looked over a cliff, there what could be seen was a run down building.

"Might be, let's go." Lucy said as she slid down and touched the ground, Akashi was about to jump when he saw Velvet looking down.

"What's the matter, afraid of heights?" Velvet bit her lip and nodded slightly.

"A bit..." Akashi sighed before picking her up, getting a loud scream from her. "Hold on tight!"

Akashi laughed as he leapt off the the edge, the air ruffling his clothes as Velvet clung onto him for dear life, with a loud thug he barrel rolled, shifting the force of him before running to Lucy.

"You can stop holding on to me now Velvet." Akashi chuckled watched the faunus shaking in fear.

"Don't do that to me ever again... please..." Velvet gently found her grounding and walked to Lucy, Akashi shrugged before he jogged towards the relics, most pieces were gone, only a few gold chess pieces remained.

"Ah... Are these the relics the headmaster was talking about?" Velvet assesed them before taking one "It's next to nothing left... everyone got theirs already?"

"Yep." Akashi spun a pawn piece on his finger, the object stayed in place, Lucy smiled as she picked it from his hand.

"Come on, the sun's almost setting... we're already going to have a bad grade because of this."

(Insert music: Flying By Wire By Trocadero)

In an instant the three shuddered, a cold chill washed over them like a plague, whispering met their ears as it echoed around them.

"Wh-what is that?" Velvet felt like falling to her knees, the pressure that surrounded them was immense. Akashi pulled out his hammer and spun around, pocketing the chess piece. A black mist was behind them, a bit far away, as it floated a large pair of red eyes stared at them. Before giving a mad like grin, it's white large teeth scared velvet and stunned Lucy before shaking it off.

"PlAy WiTH mE... AkAsHi... LuCy!" it spoke.

"I-it can speak!?" Velvet was shaking now, it gave a loud laugh.

"PlAy WiTH mE!" it repeated.

"Doppelganger..." Lucy said with a seriousness in her voice. "A rare Grimm. It almost never shows itself... unless... it followed us."

As responding to her voice the mist screamed before diving into the ground making a black void, a moment later the human like figure emerged from the ground, her face was partly covered a white mask with red markings, her hair was white and her eyes blue. But apart from that, her clothes and and hair was similar to.

Doppelganger Grimm were not truly intelligent or able to speak. They imitated human words. They replicated their prey's appearance to confuse it. But the copy was on the same level in every way as the original.

"Lucy... it's copied you." the Hammer user grunted, Lucy stared in awe as it pulled two katana from inside itself, both of them white.

"Lucy, take Velvet and get out of here. If I knew any better its main target is you... and it will kill you without hesitation." looking away he stepped forward. "The point is I'm going to fight this. Get to safety now!"

"Aka. I can't go anywhere... look to your right." Akashi turned his head and gasped.

There was an 'Akashi' walking towards them, with a white hammer in hand, an evil grin on its face and was staring at Akashi with black eyes. "I'll protect you form this Grimm, you do the same."

'Roger~!" Lucy unsheathed her swords a jumped to Akashi, her back touched his. "Velvet, Please find a safe spot, it's way too dangerous to be here anymore... Take your piece and run, we'll finish this soon.

"But..." the two Grimm laughed as the ran towards the hunters "Okay, but please be safe!" Velvet forced the tears away as she ran back to the cliff ' I'm so weak and useless... why!? '

* * *

**Emerald Forest – Forest mist (Near the Cliffs), January 27****th****, AW 675**

"Great! Just Great!" Jaune whined next to Phyrra "When you think two giant Grimm couldn't be worse, you get another Nevermore!"

Sure enough, and a new Nevermore had joined the fray, following besides its fellow Grimm that flew in safe distance of the group, the death stalker was hot on their trail.

"Does anyone know where we are going?" Ruby yelled over the roars of the airborne beasts, the girl in the red cape looked over her shoulder to see the land Grimm crawling fast behind them. "Anyone!?"

"If I'm correct, there should be an abandoned building... though I wouldn't call it a building... a pillar maybe?" Phyrra answered her teammate as the fog thickened around them. Having no choice they ran blindly through the fog while avoiding the sudden tree that appeared in their path of in some cases, slicing the tree to attempt to slow down the stalker.

It didn't work.

Riza panted as she and everyone else emerged from the blanket of fog coming face to a run down area with a old looking area.

"A ruin..." Juge cursed, his eye trailed upwards towards a big cliff. Other than that there was nothing.

"It's a dead end!" He shouted as the continued to run with the group. Antonio nodded as he saw the nevermore fly ahead while the other hanged back, its red eyes lining up preparing an attack.

"Then we have no choice, we'll have to take them down!" the umbrella user admitted. As they all hid behind a pillaging from the Nevermore behind them. "Alright. Who's got a plan?" Yang shouted over them.

"..."

"Then we'll think of one on the fly!" Phyrra emerged from behind the pillar and ran to the center, Jaune and the other followed close to her. Ren cocked his Storm-flower and ran after them "Nora distract that Grimm we'll take care of the other one!"

"Copy that Ren!" the cherry girl shouted as she blitzed right into the Grimm's view, without hesitation the bird shot multiple feathers at her, all of them missing as she weaved herself around them, Nora smirked at it before hoisting her gun up and aimed at it, firing multiple pink grenades, one of them had a direct hit on the Never more's face making it retreat for the time being.

"Juge, Riza, Jasna!" Antonio shouted at them "You'll handle the other Nevermore with me!?"

"Yeah Anto!"

"Sure."

"Let's kill this!" Riza smirked, no one saw the cruel and sadistic grin that spread across her face as they group ran towards the the walkways in the middle.

"We'll take care of the other Nevermore then!" Ruby shouted at them, as the diverted off with Blake and Yang.

"Then leave the Deathstalker to us then!" Phyrra shouted.

Kirk had lost the attention of is comrades, finding a high place in the midst of the battle he pulled out big shot and attacked a big pod underneath it. "Support: Comrades" as he aimed down on the approaching Deathstalker. Seeing Phyrra, Jaune, Ren, Nora and Alex. He quick loaded a new clip of normal bullets, taking shots at the big Grimm, attempting to slow it down. However it had little effect on it as it zeroed in on a unsuspecting Nora.

"Not on my watch! Ren!" the teen in green nodded as they rushed towards it blocking its claws before they could cut Nora in half. Weiss grab her rapier and summoned a glyph underneath her, launching her away from the fight. Seeing that the attack was done little to no damage, Alex and Ren retreated back with Phyrra and Jaune as they ran towards the gray walkway. The amazon with red hair whirred around as she transformed Milo into a rifle, joining Kirk in slowing down the scorpion monster. Soon Ren and Alex joined the fray and met up with the main group.

The two Nevermore saw a chance to finish the fight with a co-ordinated dive in.

"They're coming from both sides!" Riza cursed. But before the bird could finish them off an explosion erupted on their faces as the Nevermore flew off to escape the danger while the other crashed into the walkway cutting them off from the forest. Alex, along with Phyrra and Ren were unlucky to be separated from the main group and they recovered from the slight shell shock they received.

The desert eagle wielder looked to see Kirk covering from above "Not entirely useless, are you?"

"Alex! Focus!" Ren caught her attention as she spun around and resumed firing at the stalker.

"Right! Sorry!" she quickly apologies "Bad Alex!"

Jaune watched at the three fought off the Grimm "They need help!"

Nora only looked at him and smirked "Let's do this!" holding out her grenade launcher it shifted into a sliver Hammer, quickly looking at Kirk she smiled. "Little guy, keep Ren and everyone safe okay?"

"Acknowledged."it was his only response, Nora giggled as she her hammer, causing them to fly right over the large gap. Kirk smirked as he aimed for the pincher, firing her caused them to move away from the Grimm's main body.

"Hoooooooow's THAT?" Nora slammed her weapon into the Deathstalker causing it to roar in pain, in retaliation it shot the stinger at her, but this time the hammer user was ready, pulling the trigger and cloud of pink dust enveloped as she came skidding out, but in the after effects: she bumped into Alex causing her to drop into the abyss.

"Fall." Kirk's heart increasing in beating as he seamlessly switched his ammo with an arrow, tied to a long rope at the end. Pulling on another attachment as quickly placed the arrow in and fired it towards Alex. "Grab."

"Ghg... to be saved by him..." Alex dug her gun deep into the stone wall that was reaching into the gray beyond, she saw that the arrow was embedded. Focusing her aura to her legs, she climbed the wall to the rope before testing it's strength. "Well... it's uphill both ways..."

"Hold tight." Kirk shouted. Alex bit her tongue and nodded.

"Three times." the blue haired teen pressed a button on the attachment, causing the rope to retract back to him. The Black haired girl held on as she used one gun to fire at the Nevermore Ruby's group was fighting before landing safely next to Kirk.

"Alright?" the blue hunter asked quite causally. Sighing in defeat, the red eye huntress nodded.

"I'll forgive you... for now... because of what you did." Kirk gave a small laugh before something hard contact with the back of is head.

"But don't you ever take photo was a woman's underwear!" She shouted before jumped of to Antonio's group. Kirk gave a wry smile before switching to his game face.

He had 3 targets to choose from.

"They didn't call me 'stalker' back at Lighthouse Academy just because I took pictures." he whispered.

(Main Theme: RWBY: red like roses part 2)

As the two Nevermore circled around Ruby's and Antonio's group, their teammates readied themselves.

"Anto, let's show them our teamwork!"

"Right. Riza, Juge, can I count on you to support me?"

"Yeah, I won't let anyone down on my watch... beside _I'm ready to kill_." Again she gave off a worrying expression. Riza's spear turned into a shot gun and she pumped out the old shells, loading new ones. The Young Velmón unattached his whip and struck the ground.

"Dust Change: Fire!" his weapon quickly ignited on fire as he stared at the Nevermore coming in hot. "Now!" as the bird crashed into the building they where standing on Juge quickly jumped on its back he watched with slight concern as Riza and Jasna quickly jumped from boulder to boulder and landed on safe ground.

"Well: It looks like we had the same idea Velmón." the whip user looked upwards as he saw Antonio a few feet away from him. "Also our blonde friend, Yang also thought of it." the two watched as Yang fired shot after shot into the Nevermore open mouth before leaping out. "Well... shall we begin? Antonio gave a light smile as the metal tip on his umbrella open up a 20 cm blade rose from it.

The young Velmón couldn't help but to smirk at him. "Interesting..."

Riza panted as she glared at the Nevermore "Why won't you just die already?!" A warm hand was placed on her shoulder as she saw Jasna with a cocky grin on her face.

"I feel the same about men, but this isn't the time to lose your cool" Riza nodded and exhaled.

"Right!"

"Then Follow me, I have a plan!" the orange wearing girl yelled as she took off to the pile of rocks, the fox faunus following right behind her.

* * *

**Emerald Forest – Cliffs Edge (Deathstaker area), January 27****th****, AW 675**

"Kirk! Assist!" Antonio yelled over the bird. The 'Stalker' nodded as he loaded Ice infused dust into Bigshot. "Aiming." a small Glyph appeared inside the scope as it pointed out several points on the Nevermore.

"Fire!" Kirk's eyes widened as he unleashed all bullets in one shot splitting apart that all hit the Nevermore, mostly on the joint of its wings as two bullets hit is straight in the eye, ice forming instantly over it. The Nevermore screamed loudly as it started to lose it's balance. Kirk nodded as he unclipped the box form his weapon.

"One down. Two left."

"Whoa! Where did that come from!?" Juge was not easily surpirsed, but in this case, he was.

"That, Mr. Velmón, was the work of 'the stalker'." Antonio smirked as he ran towards the ice covered area and started slicing, blood spurted from the affected wounds. "He was also called the Phantom Shot of Lighthouse Academy."

For some reason... This made Juge uneasy. 'How does he know all this?'

"Right, let's finish this up, it's seem like our partners have a plan." Juge saw Jasna and Riza running towards the pile of rocks. Tricking his whip and start striking the bird to weaken it, thanks to Kirks damage, the attacks where showing effect, the bird had lost its sense of direction and then struggled towards the large cliff, the crash imminent.

Alex Jumped down form Kirk's position as landed near Riza and Jasna position. "Need a hand?"

"Always from a cutie!" The short haired girl winked at her as they made their way from the fresh pile of Rocks "Right! What's your name ebony?"

"Ebony?" Alex frowned "It's Alexandra." Was she referring to her hair?

"Right, Whatever!" Jasna laughed " You have anything that can hurl these at that dumb bird?"

"Yeah... I have compressed air bullets-"

"Perfect! Riza make that pile of rubble exploded and leave the rest to us!" Jasna smiled at her Fox friend. "With that we can blow a few holes in that ugly bird!"

"I see, but we got to keep form moving!" Jasna giggled.

"He's got that covered!" she looked at "Anto!"

* * *

**Emerald Forest – Cliffs Edge (On the Nevermore), January 27****th****, AW 675**

"Oh, she is expecting me to finish up here, but I sadly can't." Antonio chuckled "That girl expects too much."

"Then leave it to me!" Juge yelled as he covered his fire whip into ice "Get the bird to crash into the cliff!"

"Easier said than done!" the umbrella wielder ran to the back to the nevermore before jumping off, twirling his body around he faced the nevermore in mid air, the blade inside retraced before showing a hollow point. "Aura charge: Shot!"

A large burst of light shot form his weapon pushing the attacked back to where Riza and the others where. The partial charge shot into the Nevermore, making the speed to the bird fast and out of control. Juge had to grab onto the feathers, "Wait for it..."

"Now!" he jumped off the bird and it crashed into the cliff beak and head first, nearly burying its whole body into the rock. As he extended his rope to strike the bird one last time, ice formed over it and joined the two together. As he landed on the ground safely he smirked and admired his work before narrowly dodging the second Nevermore feet. "Hey, not cool! i almost forgot about you."

"Then forget it."

In a blur of white, the figure stabbed their sword into the ground, encased the Nevermore's tail in it before it had a chance to take of, the white figure turned out to be Weiss, who had a less then amused look on her face.

"Celebrate once this is over Velmón, this isn't the time to Daydream you know."

"Apologies mademoiselle Schnee, I'll exercise more caution next time." Juge nodded "In the mean time, could you assist me getting back up?"

Rolling her eyes she grabbed his wrist as a white glyph appeared under her, jumping inhuman heights they landed back that their perspective groups.

"Thank you Miss Schnee."

"It's fine, Velmón."

"Everyone ready?!" Jasna called to her female teammates.

"Weiss! Ruby needs your help with something!" Yang called out to the Heiress. She nodded and made her way towards Ruby.

"Right, let me handle this!" Riza turned her gun back into a spear, she aimed carefully and threw _Ryuyari._

"TAKE THIS!"

the Spear traveled at an incredible pace before exploding on contact with the pile, thank to Riza aim the rock flew towards Alex and Jasna in a perfect speed.

"Right let's hit them with everything we've got!" Jasna fist glowed Gold before she raised her fist as the first rock, as she hit it, the stone rocketed towards the Nevermore, hitting right in the chest.

"Direct hit! And there's more where that came from!" Alex shouted with a smirk on her face as she fired an air bullet in the falling debris and everything was catapulted back at the Nevermore.

Ruby watched while waiting for a perfect time to launch her plan into action. "Almost..."

* * *

**Emerald Forest – Cliffs Edge (Deathstaker area), January 27****th****, AW 675**

Phyrra noticed a small glint form behind her, turning around she saw Kirk signaling them to duck.

"Right!" with her spear she threw in straggling into the eye of the death stalker making screech in agony "Kirk! Now!"

"Fire!"

With accurate aim he hit the beast's other eye multiplying its pain and blinding it for good.

Jaune acknowledged him before looking at Nora" Now Nora!"

"Right!" pulling the trigger on her hammer she shot herself into the air. "Phyrra!"

"On it!" using her shield as a platform for Nora, she buckled underneath it using the last of her energy she pushed Nora upwards with the added power of her hammer.

"Weeee..."

As she came into a hard landing her used her force to smash the Death stalker, the force of the impact flipped Phyrra and Jaune over head as the ground below them crumbled into nothing.

* * *

**Emerald Forest – Cliffs Edge, January 27****th****, AW 675**

"Two down. One left." Kirk mumbled as he effortlessly unloaded the empty round and started loading ice bullets into his gun ready to fire anytime.

"Now!" Kirk heard Ruby voice as he saw red flying towards the Nevermore. The head in cased bird had broken free but was to late to avoid Ruby's blade, as she grabbed a hold on it Weiss summons multiple glyphs traveling upwards towards the top, using all her might to run up as the blade dug deep into the giant bird's throat. As she reached the top the Grimm's head were cleaved off as their body dropped to the ground.

"Mission complete."

"I'll admit." Jasna sighed "Even with the pigs and everyone else... that was some nice teamwork."

"Agreed." Alex nodded as she holstered her guns.

(End music.)

Everyone watched as Ruby stood alone on top of the cliffs.

"That was something." Yang and the rest of Ruby's teammates met with Antonio's team.

"Indeed... she is amazing." Riza smile towards the red figure.

"Sure, and if we're done here... with some luck we can make it back to Beacon Cliff before nightfall."

"Yes, I agree with Velmón." Weiss crossed her arms "Let's head back."

…...

"Is anyone going to help me?" Ruby moaned. "Guess not." she jumped off and rolled safely towards the the team.

* * *

**Emerald Forest – Relic Sanctuary January 27****th****, AW 675**

(Insert music: Towa no Quon OST - Mamoru tame no Tatakai)

"Whoa!" the Hammer user barreled rolled before dodging another stab and strike of Grimm Lucy's blades, swinging his hammer he pushed the Grimm girl away, but she only flipped back and few feet and lunched herself at him again.

"Lucy! Is this how you fight!?"

"When I'm serious! Otherwise I don't care for fighting... I could say a lot about your fighting technique, how the heck can you use that hammer like it's nothing?!"

"Years of Practice!" Akashi bend backwards before digging his hammer into the ground. Quickly he performed a leg sweeper on the girl, knocking her into midair and hitting her head with his gravity Hammer, sending flying into the Forest. "And that is a home run!"

No it wasn't.

The sound of wood cracking was heard and the boy looked to where Grimm Lucy had been standing, a pile of completely crushed trees and grass began to shiver and shake before it was sent rocketing everywhere as Grimm Lucy emerged from the Forest. She cracked his neck and back before chuckling.

"AkAsHi...ThAt HuRT!" a sadistic smirked appeared on her pale lips "Do YoU LiKe HuRtInG My BoDy?"

"…" Akashi brown eyes flickered with the determination and hatred to make the Grimm before him, fall. The Doppelganger chuckled once more.

"AkAsHI... PLAY WITH MY BODY SOME MORE!"

Akashi face paled as he nearly dropped his hammer.

Fighting the unnecessary blush he had as said Grimm continued to speak, "Why... wouldn't you let me have you? Let me devour your body!" Grimm Lucy played with her bone swords, "Will you let me Akashi?"

Akashi chuckled beneath his breath, said chuckling growing louder in volume until it became full blown laughter. The Doppelganger's eyes narrowed as she looked at the laughing boy. The Hammer user wiped away an imaginary tear that had formed from his intense laughter before becoming serious.

"Sorry... I can't afford that, Grimm." The Hunter replied "I Still need to become the best student in Beacon!" Akashi slammed his hammer down as the ground trembled lightly.

"The best?" Grimm Lucy questioned.

"Damn straight. I may not have the best aura in Beacon, but I'm willing to show anyone and everyone that a Mayhiro never backs down from a fight!" Akashi smirked as he pointed his hammer at her.

"If I remember, rare Doppelganger Grimm have the ability to eat human souls if their target is defeated." Akashi spun his hammer around his body expertly as he bent forward and placed his prized weapon behind his back. "Like I care if you're a Doppelganger: I will show you why you shouldn't mess with a Mayhiro!" The Hammer user suddenly vanished in a blur, Grimm Lucy smirked as she raised her Sword and blocked the impact to the side of her skull, withstanding the force.

"MoRe...FuN!"

"Hn? That's pretty good…..for a Grimm." The teen replied as he suddenly vanished once more, appearing above Grimm Lucy and sent the back blade of his gravity hammer towards his opponent. The Grimm Blocked the attack and nullified the blade only for the Hunter's to use the remaining momentum to perform an Axe kick to drive itself towards her. The white haired Grimm raised her swords, crossing them as to block the kick while she felt the impact hard, a small crater forming as the powerful kick had enough force to make the Grimm's arms feel slightly sore.

"SuCh pOweR!" she exclaimed as she placed the bone swords back into her body and grabbed Akashi's leg. Fake Lucy pulled the boy down and slammed him into the ground before throwing him away. The boy back flipped as he was thrown, easily stabilizing himself before skidding backwards as friction came into play. He came to a stop before snarling at his white haired opponent.

The Doppelganger glared back at Akashi before making a flicking motion with his hand. The black haired boy merely smirked and vanished.

"That's just a small speed up!" He vanished into the area around him and Grimm Lucy's eyes widened as she frantically began to look around for the boy. The wind shifted to her left and she turned, quickly leaning back, but her feet remained planted in their spot as she avoided the hard kick all around her body. As Akashi blitzed past her guard to strike her from behind. He was quickly pushed back by Grimm Lucy's kick to his Chest. Mayhiro grunted as he shook off the impact. Sweat trickled down his face as he flared is aura and he vanished again.

"InterESTting." Grimm Lucy snickered, surprised at the feat. However, she didn't have time to remain surprised as the brown haired boy suddenly reappeared on top of her. The Grimm raised her swords once again and blocked the double kick to her chest. She was gritting her teeth as her feet dug into the ground once more so that the impact would be redirected, then she felt Akashi suddenly push off before charging aura to his Weapon.

A massive aura from Akashi's hammer shot from the thrusters of his hammer; he cocked both his arms back and swung forward.

**"Heavenly Impact!"**He then took a step forward and vanished from view once more. However, Grimm Lucy suddenly felt herself being attacked from all sides by an hard invisible force. She stiffened all her muscles as she did her best to avoid the strikes, however her eyes widened as she suddenly felt something warm against his cheek. She raised her hand and looked at the smear of crimson that appeared on her fingers.

She was hit... and she was bleeding.

The boy appeared behind the mage panting his aura was draining from him fast as he collapsed onto one knee and breathed in. "That was fast... even for me..." The Hunter gritted his teeth "But still I need to finish this."

Grimm Lucy broke from her trance and faced the boy once more.

And she screamed, making Akashi and the real Lucy cover their ears.

"I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!" Grimm Lucy cried as she raised back out of the ground and shot off into the darkness.

"Watch your back... Akashi..."

* * *

...

(Insert music: CeeëX - Facing the dangers)

Lucy leaped towards Grimm Akashi, blades ready to kill.

**"Tornado Uppercut!****"** Lucy declared before spinning sideways upon the Grimm. A large smoke cloud erupted from the point of contact and Lucy grinned.

"MoRe...GIVE ME MORE" Akashi stated madly before kicking Lucy in the back sending the huntress soaring through the air. Grimm Akashi then vanished into his surrounding and appeared in front of the Pocky lover, lifting his Bone Hammer he slammed his Weapon down on Lucy's head however her aura protected her from fatal damage. The red haired teenager was sent to the ground before Grimm Akashi grabbed Lucy by the back of her black sweater and threw her into the side of a Forest as high speed making a few tree break down. Lucy released a cry of pain as she made contact with a more solid tree before standing back up.

"...that hurt~!" Lucy cried as she got back up gingerly, the real Akashi looked in concern.

"Lucy, I'm coming to help you!"

"...It's fine~" Lucy look at him and smiled "I can do this~"

"...How you are able to keep that kind of facade is beyond me." Mayhiro shook his head "But if you can... I'll be waiting here."

"Okay~" Lucy smiled as she wiped the sweat of her face, turning her attention back to the Grimm Doppelganger "Can I ask you one question Mr. Grimm?"

"..."

"What kind of scream do you make?" Lucy gave a sick sweet smile as she sprinted towards her foe.

"HeHe." Grimm Akashi looked down on her as he swung his hammer as she got close, however she ducked, sliding on her knee under the hammer she delivered a large cut to his legs, making him roar in pain, biting back the Grimm retracted his hammer, using the back blade to strike the girl under him.

However the red-head, giggled as she diverted his attack away from her, driving it into the ground, not wasting her time she rose up and kick him hard in the chest, still having momentum she dug her blades into the ground, preforming a handstand before spinning madly as she pulled her katanas out to strike him repeatedly causing him to let go of his bone hammer.

"Can you Scream again? I didn't get to hear it properly" Lucy whined. As she wiped the blood from her swords onto her sweater.

…..

"This girl... is a nut case." Akashi was a bit freaked out. The boy heard growling from behind him as Beowulf circled around him "Ah... a warm down exercise then!"

…...

"The Grimm roared loudly as it raced towards the girl, Lucy braced herself as it rushed at her "Ah~ bad Grimm~" But the Grimm version of Akashi didn't attack her, pushing past her it grabbed its bone hammer, making Lucy tilt her head in confusion.

"Ara~?"

"I'm sorry... I promise a won't hurt you again Gravity Hammer~" the Grimm cooed as is held it hammer. Sighing in relief the Doppelganger Grimm glared at Lucy.

"I won't forgive you..." Lucy gasped as the Grimm took the stance as the real Akashi would have. "Anyone messing with my hammer will be dealt with!"

"...Fine~" Lucy smiled "Let's dance Grimm Aka~" Lucy jumped after the Grimm at high speed ready to cut him in half.

Grimm Akashi easily dodged the straightforward attack by tilting his head, but Lucy suddenly rotated with the attack and went into a spin kick. The Grimm ducked beneath it and grabbed Lucy's legs and threw her into the ground. However, the young Huntress quickly recovered and shot a bicycle kick to Akashi's approaching face, fazing him slightly.

The red-head leaned back and jumped over the sweep kick that followed after before deflecting the fist that the White haired Grimm aimed for Lucy's stomach. Lucy jumped and slammed her white sword towards the Grimm's skull, but the Grimm Doppelganger twisted his body to the side and the ground shook lightly from the impact Lucy made with the earth. Grimm Akashi slammed a straight kick to Lucy's face, but she remained stationary. A fact that caused Grimm Akashi to raise an eyebrow in confusion.

Lucy had caught his attack in her hand, knowing danger was coming the Grimm jumped back and readied himself once again.

"...B-ad Gri-mm~" Lucy smiled as she slowly dragged her words as she twirled her swords around her wrist, the real Akashi was impressed that she wasn't cutting herself.

"Well... it's a good thing that they can't use aura like us~" Lucy sighed "But then again... I don't like fighting~"

"Then... why don't you step aside and let me eat Akashi then?" the Grimm asked slowly, Lucy laughed before shaking her head.

"Sorry~ no can do~" Lucy yawned carelessly "I won't let Aka be eaten~"

"Don't you get it stupid!? I AM AKASHI!" the Grimm roared at her, Lucy only cleaned out her ear with her pinkie before blowing the wax away.

"Wah... bored now~" Lucy yawned, but before she could continue her talk, her instincts kicked in as the Grimm's Hammer made contact with her previous position, which was instantly blown apart.

"Allow me to kill you then!" the Grimm shouted as he swung his Hammer at her legs causing the girl to instantly jump "You fell for it!" facing the hammer upwards he stroke Lucy in the legs, the girl could have sworn that something felt out of place, as the katana user floated in mid air, the Grim spun around and smacked Lucy hard into the ground created another small crater, blood vessels burst form inside Lucy as she hacked up blood, the air inside her was gone as she struggled to breath.

"Do you now understand when I say no one touches my hammer!?" the Grimm version of her friend shouted as he grinded his foot into her stomach, making her groan in pain. "Now you will suffer the consequences..."

"..." Lucy's eyes flew open as she swiped at him making the Grimm jump off her to a safe distance. But his black eyes narrowed as he saw dust from Lucy's... biscuit falling her?

"My Pocky..." Lucy whimpered as her hair covered her eyes as she slowly took something from her back pocket, revealing a crushed small Cardboard box with more specks of dust falling from it. "You wrecked my pocky..."

"So?" the Grimm watched as a spark of blue electricity escaped her eyes. Her once square iris had been replaced by fierce and vibrate blue eyes, the spark of electricity escaped from her eye again.

"I won't forgive you!"

* * *

…...

"Whoa!" Akashi killed another Beowulf as he watched Lucy personality shift into a more serious persona. "What did Grimm me do now to piss her off?"

A loud roar met his ears as he watched a large Ursa crashed into the clearing, however this Grimm was bigger than any regular Ursa.

"Wow... didn't expect my ruckus to anger Momma Ursa." the real Akashi grinned as he ran towards the Giant Grimm.

* * *

**Emerald Forest Near the old ruins January 27****th****, AW 675**

"!?" The main group tensed before looking at each other.

"Ah... what was that?" Jaune said first "Did anyone feel that chill down the back?"

"I did." Weiss said looking around "Let's not forget that there are other hunters and huntresses in the forest."

"But this feeling.." Riza said "I mean... to feel a chill like this... could it be the Kurma we fought?"

"No... it was in a more aggravated state. This seems much less and yet sharper." Phyrra stated.

"Whatever it is, I don't want to get involved, we have a task to complete" Jaune said "We already had enough fighting for one day!"

"He's right." Juge muttered "Whoever is out there, they can probably handle it themselves."

"Akashi... Lucy..." Riza wondered.

* * *

**Emerald Forest - Near the relics January 27****th****, AW 675**

"Aww did the little baby lose her favorite food... aww that's so sad!" Grimm Akashi mocked her as Lucy started gritting her teeth "Cry me a river beet-head!"

"First you break my food, then call me a crybaby... but don't ever make fun of my NATURAL HAIR!" Lucy roared as more electricity sparked from her eyes. Crouching low she snarled as she gripped her swords tighter to the point of cutting skin. "Now I really want to hear you scream!"

"Go to hell!" The Grimm slammed his hammer into the ground as it rumbled heavily, swinging his weapon over his shoulder he made a 'come at me' motion with his hand.

"Fine~ Let's play!" Lucy eye flashed with blue sparks once again. Before the Grimm could React, Lucy's feet dug into the ground before taking off in a black and red blur.

"Speed aura enhancement... no!" the Real Akashi gulped.

"This is natural speed!"

A blade drove into his gut before he could protect himself. Grimm Akashi doubled over and a knee to the chin lifted him off the ground, his Black eyes meeting Lucy's vibrant Blue eyes, pulling out her sword by force the Grimm placed pressure on his wound and Jumped back a good distance.

Lucy watched as the Grimm retreated, narrowing her eye she crouched again.

She felt alive.

She Felt Powerful.

She Felt fast.

She Felt light.

She felt like no one could beat her in her current state.

* * *

**Beacon Cliffs January 27****th****, AW 675**

"Hm…" Ozpin smirked as he watched Lucy's fight through his tablet. "She is an interesting character."

"Ozpin?" the gray haired man turn to see Goodwitch walking towards him "Most of the new students have arrived back at Beacon, shall we start the ceremony?"

"Yes, but take your time…there are still students that are in the forest." The woman with a purple cape raised an eyebrow.

"Anyone still in the forest is sure to get a bad grade." She huffed.

"Yes, but in some cases….special consideration is in order for the unexpected." Smirking once again he took a sip out of his coffee mug and watched the fight. Glynda rolled her eyes and walked out preparing for the final act of the night.

* * *

**Emerald Forest – Relic Sanctuary January 27****th****, AW 675**

The Grimm flashed off around her.

Eyes flickering in sparks as she tried to read her opponents movements, Lucy readied her defenses. Lashing out, the Grimm watched as Lucy raised a sword in defense with barely a millisecond to spare not even bothering to face him. Flowing from that, the Grimm spun around with a Hammer melee attack. He watched over his shoulder as Lucy ducked beneath the attack. A white blade plunged itself into his body and was subsequently overcome with the sudden coldness . Not giving the Grimm enough time to recover, she lashed out with a another attack.

Raising his bone hammer and leaning into the blow, he stopped the attack easily and grabbed a hold of it. Pinching a bundle of nerves in the knee he increased the pressure on his hands, the Grimm heard a pained scream but didn't stop there. Pulling Lucy in, Grimm Akashi's shoulder charged her and drove his bone into Lucy's stomach and then up. The blow forced all the air from the huntress's lungs and she gasped in pain. Lucy grunted as she shifted his weight of her and performed an embrace roll to avoid the hammer aim at her body.

Pant she knelled down as sweat dripped off her forehead, her black sweater ripped open, it showed her bra, her blue skirt was in no condition to keep going. Her arm were shaking, evident in her sword shaking. Blood was dripping down her face.

The Grimm was in a bad condition too: his body ripped to shreds as blood covered his left eye his left arm was broken and his right arm was near that condition.

"…..…" Lucy felt the pain subside as her aura healed her however it could.

"…Heh." The Grimm suddenly shot itself into the ground, the black void appeared once again.

"Till we meet again…Lucy…"

"WAIT, I'm not….done…" Lucy's blue eyes flickered out of life and the fatigue and pain overcame her, the pain so much that she didn't notice she past out.

"Lucy!" Akashi ran towards the falling girl, catching her in the nick of time before she fell. "Speak to me!"

"Ngh... Aka... please do me one last favor..."

"Anything, but don't die!" Akashi felt tear pricking her eyes and he was unloading his bag, getting her med-kit out.

"Carry me~" Lucy's fierce blue eyes dulled back into her square iris and dark blue eyes. Akashi jaw dropped as her childish personality appeared in front of him "Wah... Where's my pockys~?"

"What the?" Akashi couldn't find the word to describe what just happened. "Lucy... do you know what just happened?"

* * *

**Beacon Academy January 27****th****, AW 675**

"Well... that was certainly entertaining to watch." Ozpin smiled to himself as he took a quill and ink, quickly writing something he allowed it to cool off before foiling it in half. A small tap on the door caught his attention, giving a small hum of acknowledgment. Seeing Glynda standing emotionless expression he stood up and followed her towards the grand hall.

"So?"

"So?" Ozpin question her, grunting the veteran huntress rolled her eyes.

"So? I haven't seen you with that kind of look for a while... is it about Ms. Rose?"

"No no... she has already proven her worth, I was watching Ms. Stripes and Mr. Mayhiro's fight with a Grimm that is rarely exposed to the human eyes." stopping she turned around and waited for an answer.

"A Doppelganger Grimm."

"I see." Glynda's vacant expression was soon full of surprise as she started walking again. "Are the two alright?"

"Yes... not a lot of Hunters can defend themselves against Grimm hunters." Ozpin sighed "Mr. Mayhiro managed to defend himself against Ms. Stripe's Grimm copy... however for Ms. Stripes..."

"Is she hurt?"

"No. Rather her current self couldn't defeat it." Ozpin took a sip from his coffee. "Glynda... like I said yesterday: It is up to them to take the first step. If Lucy can achieve that, she could become a powerful huntress."

"And what about Mr. Mayhiro?"

"..."

"Headmaster?"

"After this, please get me a video call directly to her... I think it's time." Ozpin marched in front of her as he entered the grand hall. "After all... she is the only one that can do this."

* * *

**Beacon Academy Main Hall January 27****th****, AW 675**

Riza kept walking back and forth as the teams stood on the main stage, Juge was next to her, but chose to ignore her movements. "Relax..._ renard_."

"Oh no, not that again!" Riza snarled "Lucy and Akashi haven't arrived yet!" she grabbed his blue jumper as she butted foreheads with him "I knew it was a mistake split ways! For all I know they could be badly hurt or worse... dead."

"Riza! _What is Beacon_?" Juge slapped her hand away with a deep gaze in her eyes.

"Why are you-"

"Answer the question."

"Beacon Academy is the top Institute for top class Hunters and Huntresses, only a special few are selected to enroll here."

"Exactly. What you're doing now is stamping on the pride of Akashi and Lucy. Being enrolled here means that they are more than capable. Headmaster Ozpin wouldn't have send us into the Emerald Forest if he thought we couldn't handle it." Juge placed a hand on her shoulder. "Have faith in your comrades Riza Inari."

"...I'm just so worried about her." Riza couldn't help, but to let a few tears fall down. "She's the first friend I made. Being a faunus and all.."

"If your are really her friend, believe in her until the end." Juge smiled as the fox faunus nodded.

"Russel Trush, Cardin Winchester, Dove Bronzewing and Sky Lark , the four of you retrieved the black bishop pieces, from this day forwards, you will be known as team CRDL" Ozpin stated "Lead by Cardin Winchester."

A round of applause for the new born team echo around the hall as Team CRDL made their way down, another four students walked up to their stage. Riza saw the blonde hair and smiled. It was Jaune's turn.

Jaune Arc, Lie Ren, Phyrra Nikos and Nora Valkery" the head master spoke again "The four of you retrieved the white rook pieces, starting today you will work together as Team JNPR" Ozpin smiled at Jaune "Led by Jaune Arc"

"Wha-!?" Jaune was stunned beyond words. Riza felt a sense of happiness as she whistled a bit.

"Jaune, I knew you could do it!" her eye widened as she quickly covered her mouth Juge facepalmed as the audience laughed.

"Haha... Th-thanks!" Jaune smiled with a red tint showing on his cheeks, Phyrra giggled as she too slugged him in the arm.

Perhaps too hard.

Knocking the new team leader of JNPR, Jaune fell to the ground, the audience laughed at his misfortune, grinning awkwardly she smiled.

"Congratulations Young man." Ozpin nodded at Arc. Jaune nodded as Phyrra helped him up. As the commotion settled Team JNPR left the stage followed by four new students.

"Antonio Chessa, Kirk D. Fire, Jasna Zora and Alexandra Wilhelmine, the four of you retrieved the black queen pieces... from this day you will be known as Team..." Ozpin nodded as the four lined up. "Pardon me... where is Kirk D. Fire?"

"I swear..." a tick mark appeared on Alex's fore head as she pulled out her guns "If he's-"

"Here." Kirk small voice appeared beside Antonio, The blonde black haired girl looked at him before putting her guns away.

"Whoa... .was he always there?"

"I didn't even see him"

"He looks too weak to be a hunter!"

"...Well if it's not what I think you are doing... then fine... but tell us if you are there okay?" Alex huffed.

"Acknowledged."

"Stop talking like a robot you two legged piglet!" Jasna snarled at him, Kirk flinched.

Ozpin coughed. "Without any delay, I present to you Team JAAK, led by Jasna Zoro!" The Woman bowed slightly before being tackled her friend.

"Jasna... can't breath..." he wheezed.

The audience clapped as Jasna finally let go of her friend and left the stages.

"And finally: Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna and Yang Xiao Long, The four of you retrieved the white Knight pieces... from this day you will be working together as team RWBY." the audience clapped once again "Led by Ruby Rose."

Weiss and Ruby where surprised, however the girl in red didn't have time to comprehend, because her older sister hugged the life out of her, much life Jasna did. "Oh I'm so proud of you!"

"Hm. Strange... they haven't called us up yet." Juge cocked his head.

"Looks like this year will be very interesting." Ozpin said to himself "Everyone, you will find your dorm room number in your locker, please rest well... you have classes first thing in the morning. That is all."

The many 1st years left the hall as Juge and Riza started to feel uneasy.

"Hey guys!" the two turned to see Team JNPR and RWBY walking towards them "You guys didn't get called up... what's up with that?"

"Um... are you Riza?" before the Fox faunus could speak a certain faunus with bunny ears walked towards them.

"Yes? Do I know you?"

"I'm Velvet... I saw you with Lucy on the airship... I was with Lucy and Akashi."

"You were with them?" Riza asked "Where are they?"

"Well we retrieved the pieces... but-" Velvet quickly wiped a tear from her eyes "These things... they were attacking them... my weapon was broken! They told me to run to safety while they fought it."

"What things... where they Grimm?" Jaune asked.

"Yes... according to Akashi.. they were rare ones... Doppelganger?"

"Whoa... Doppelganger!?" Weiss pushed Jaune aside "There is now way those things were in the forest! First a Kurma and now that?!"

* * *

(Inset music: One piece: Overtaken)

Three figures walked up the courtyard, one of them was being dragged as the other two walked by the side.

"We finally made it."

"...Yeah~"

* * *

"But I saw them. They appeared as black mist before reemerging as... them." Velvet said in a scared voice "I was so scared... I was defenseless."

"Velvet!" Riza grabbed her shoulders "What happened to them?"

"I didn't see..."

"Then in most cases... hunters of people who have come across it... not usually make it." Weiss said in a small voice. "Their souls are eaten as they become Grimm Hunters, they have no remorse as they only kill what is in front of them."

"Then..." Riza shook her head as she readied her spear.

"Riza Where are you going? Listen to reason. Ozpin wouldn't-" Juge tried to talk some sense into her, but she ignored him.

"What does it look like Schnee!? I 'm going to find them!"

* * *

"Huh... looks like the party is over huh?" the teen sighed.

"...Yeah~"

* * *

"Are you insane!?" Ruby cried "Riza your going to die out there, Grimm roam the night!"

"I don't care!" Riza yelled "Lucy is in danger!"

* * *

"Excuse me... but where is the grand hall?" the man asked a student.

"Sure you keep going up- what happened to you!?"

"Ah don't worry, it's nothing."

"Ha ha hah ….."

"See ya!" the man dragged himself followed by the feminine figure.

"..."

"You still upset that the Beowulf ate your pocky?"

"Yes..."

"Don't worry, I'll get you a pack once we're in town."

"Thank you~" the girl beamed.

* * *

"Then we're going together!" Ruby said, getting the approval of her team, JNPR and AKJA nodded.

"Thanks. We'll need all the help we can get."

"That won't be necessary." the whole group turned as Ozpin walked over with Goodwitch.

"What do you mean it's not necessary?" Riza said slowly.

"It's exactly as I meant it." Ozpin smirked.

* * *

"Ah~" the figure said "We're here."

"Yep... in the dead of late evening. Oh well." using his aura he threw open the door.

"Hope no one is behind that."

* * *

"Why?"

"They're here." Ozpin smiled.

As if on cue the front door almost exploded. Everyone was on guard as the smoke cleared revealing a pair of shadowy figures.

"What the?"

"...I didn't expect this." Ozpin raised an eyebrow looking at the damaged door.

"Ah... jeez... there were people behind it."

"Ah Akashi... you screwed up~!"

"Shut it Lucy." Akashi answered back.

"Lucy?" Riza said as two figure walked through.

Akashi and Lucy stood side by side coved in blood and their clothes torn. Jaune, Ren and Kirk blushed, while Juge averted his gaze, as they saw Lucy's pink bra, barely concealed by her torn sweater.

"Art." Kirk pulled out his camera.

"No pictures!" Alex whacked him over the head knocking him out.

"Ah Riza~" Lucy smiled and waved at her "I see you~"

"...You idiot!" Riza almost cried as she ran over to Lucy and hugged her hard. "You had me so worried!"

"No love for me?" Akashi asked, Riza glared.

"You said that you would Protect Lucy, so why is she covered in blood?"

"Nevermind." the hammer user whistled as he looked around.

"Ms. Stripes, Mr. Mayhiro... since you are here I can announce the final team. Ozpin coughed "Please line up with Ms. Inari and Mr. Velmón."

The four did as they told with Team RWBY, JNPR and AKJA watching on.

"Lucy Stripes, Akashi Mayhiro, Riza Inari and Juge Velmón. the four of your retrieved the pawn pieces: from today onwards, you will be know as team LARJ. Led by Lucy stripes." Ozpin smiled.

"Ara? Me~" Lucy pointed at herself "Okay~ But I want a ton of pocky from everyone if I'm going to be leader~!"

The 3 other team members shook their head. Ozpin chuckled.

"Well, well. It is going to be very interesting 1st year."


	4. Chapter 4

Yo! Everything this chapter is done by Bugdevil, the next one will be one by me, i hope you guys really like this one, he put a lot of effort into this one!

Arc 2: First Steps. Chapter 4: Team Spirit

* * *

**Beacon Academy - Dorm rooms**

After the creation of teams all students took the next step in their new campus life. Occupying a dorm room. In a desperate struggle of rock-paper-scissors team LARJ managed to get the southernmost room, which had a good view on the courtyard as well as the lush green forest.

The sun was lighting up most of the space and revealed four beds, one in every corner of the room. They were empty.

"Huwwaaaaah ~" Lucy yawned as she rubbed her face deeper in a soft, fluffy pillow. A hairy pillow...

"Mhm..." Riza slowly opened her eyes. The sun was a little blinding, so she held her hand in front of her face. After adjusting to the brightness she sat up and stretched a little. She felt something similar to an arm falling asleep when she had been lying on it for too long. But the sensation came from deeper. Her eyes looked down and she saw... "Lucy!?" The red-head was sleeping on her tail again! After Riza's sudden yelp the other girl awoke slowly and rubbed her eyes.

"Morning ~~"

"Don't you 'Morning ~~' me, why were you sleeping on my tail again?" she glared at her friend who was plastered with band-aids. Lucy put one finger at her forehead, emulating a thought process.

"Because it's fluffy ~"

"That's not what I-" Before she could chew out Lucy someone else awakened. Mayhiro was lying face down on the carpet too.

"Whuzz zat noise...?" he sounded drowsy and when his face raised one could see two playing cards sticking to it. Parts of her memory about the events of last night started to return.

'We played all night?' she wondered when she fell asleep.

Now that Akashi had awoken he was getting up fast and stretching his body. One could almost see his energy bar fill up with every movement.

"So in the end it was a draw." he exclaimed smiling.

"What was?" Lucy was as bubbly as always.

"You forgot? We played cards to determine who gets the best corner of the room! The one with the shade and perfect view." he pointed at the bed in the furthest right corner.

"I still don't get why it was so important to you two." Riza shook her head while brushing her tail.

"It's the best strategic position in the event of an enemy raid." Juge was leaning against the wall sitting cross-legged. He had probably been sleeping that way too.

"What kind of enemy raid do you expect in our dorm room...?"

"You never know. It's how I was brought up. Always find the most favorable position when you camp." he rubbed his forehead. "But I guess that's not necessary here." he smirked and got up too.

"Haha, I just wanted it because it looked more comfy." Akashi added.

Lucy was still not getting up immediately. Sleeping on the floor wasn't very comfy. Last night she wanted to play cards as well as soon as she saw them fighting for the bed and somehow Riza got dragged into it too. After the 12th round it became evident that the one who cared the least, _her_, was getting all the victories. So she said that the others could have it, but the guys were hurt in their pride to get such alms, so it turned into a fierce battle at who could beat Riza instead of a battle royale. At some point Lucy fell asleep and the last thing Riza could remember was Juge and Akashi talking about card tricks.

"Wah! There is drool all over my tail!" Riza said with disgust. She felt icky now.

"Sorry ~"

"Why don't you just shave that tail,_ renard_? It would be way easier to wear normal clothes that way too." Juge was only half listening and gave his two cents while looking through his bag.

"W-w-wh-wh-what are yous saying!?" Riza suddenly backed away to the wall and held her tail in a protective way. She was blushing fiercely.

"...huh?" Juge looked at her with a quizzical look.

"You... pervert." her eyes were tearing up.

"HUH?!" now the boy in blue was the one backing away. "Where did that come from?"

"Jeez Juge. How tactless of you." Akashi tried to make a serious face, but it was obvious that he was holding back a laugh.

"But I-"

"So meaaaan. Don't bully Riza ~" even Lucy was joining in. Not knowing what to do Juge turned away.

"I didn't know it was such a touchy subject. It was all from a practical view-point."

"Would you like it if I told you to run around half naked?" Riza asked. She was apparently more shocked than angry.

The teen didn't know what to say to that. Did he really say something so extreme?

"Well that aside." Akashi finally found a heart and intervened. "Who's gonna get the bed now?"

...

A few minutes later they had all calmed down and were unpacking and decorating. In the end Lucy claimed the bed. The leader had the last word she said... or something. As compensation she gave pockys to the losers.

"There is so much stuff on your quadrant." Riza looked amazed while watching the other three's spaces. Especially Lucy's.

"My home is wherever I am ~"

"I am pretty sure that saying doesn't mean to bring literally all of your home with you..."

The red-head had brought a bunch of stuff ranging from books to posters and almost a whole music station. Riza could count at least four music players just on stand-by.

"All done!" Akashi was making a pose while pointing at his new sleeping place. Somehow he managed to give it a hut feeling! Looking at his quadrant one could imagine it being cut out of a forest hut and glued into the room. The signature hammer was hanging on the wall, only attached with two nails.

"That looks dangerous." Riza warned him, but he didn't seem to mind.

"Oooh what's that Jugey?" Lucy's eyes were sparkling as she awed at Juge's quarter.

"You mean this? It's called a DeNoiser." he was holding a device that was attached to some headphones.

"A... what?"

"It's a machine that absorbs all noise from the surroundings and is stopping all kinds of sound-waves. It's used for meditation purposes, but can be used as a calming field as well. It is also used to protect people who have jobs that are loud enough to damage their hearing in long term..." Lucy's words were flowing like a river all of sudden and surprised everyone.

"Re-really?" Riza started sweating.

"Yes. It is extremely expensive! How did you get it?" her eyes were sparkling.

"It was a present from my uncle. He taught me how to meditate in times of inner turmoil. This thing can be used with headphones or as a room quietener."

"Can I borrow it?"

"Sure. But I think you would prefer to listen to music?" Juge tilted his head while handing it to her.

"Absolutely ~ I can combine it with my stuff. I'll be able to blend out aaaall the outside noise to perfectly concentrate on the music." her facial expression told them that she was in heaven.

"You aren't going to use it in class are you?" Riza smelled a scheme. No reaction. "You are already using it?!"

Juge laughed and put his bag behind the bed. The rest of his quadrant was extremely spartan. No pictures from home, no personalization.

"You are going to live here for 4 years. Aren't you going to make it at least a little like home?" Akashi wondered.

"This is exactly like my home." Juge answered without remorse. Apparently he wasn't leading a very comfy life. "Heh. I am joking of course!" he pulled out something from his bag and hung it onto the wall. It was a scroll with words on them and pictures of animals.

**[**Bear the burden (bear picture)

Protect the sheep (sheep picture)

This is the lion's den (lion picture)

Caution around its lair little hare (rabbit picture)**] **

"... ... ... ..." All three were quiet for some time (in Lucy's case it was probably because she wasn't paying attention).

"My father didn't allow me to put this on my wall at home, but here I am free like the wind." his smile was honest.

"That's great dude..." Akashi regained his voice.

'He is not what I expected.' Riza shook her head while putting her own stuff on a little dresser. It was a picture of some other faunus.

"Who are they?" Akashi asked curiously.

"My parents." her answer was short and lifeless. The picture showed the three of them together in a garden sitting at white tables. Riza looked really small. Maybe 5 or 6 years old.

"I also brought a picture of my parents, but there is not much space around here. Maybe I should just leave it in the bag." Mayhiro scratched his cheek.

"I think you shouldn't let it gather dust in there." again her voice was cold. Akashi looked at her for a few seconds, mustering her intently.

"Sure. You are probably right." he somehow manged to cram it between a few other things on his small table.

Not noticing the awkward atmosphere Juge looked at the clock. He then proceeded to stretch a little, inhale deeply and yell "It's 8:55! We have to get to class!"

"What?! I don't even have my uniform on yet!" Riza panicked.

"Never mind that!" Akashi was grinning. "Let's race to the lecture hall Juge!"

"Feeling confident today?"

"This time I won't be stopped by that crazy chick." They both started running and left the room in a hurry.

"Lucy we have to change, _now_!" she pulled off the headphones and closed the door. 3 minutes later they were dressed in the academy's uniform. It was pretty standard, but in Riza's case there was an opening in the skirt for her tail.

"Aw you are cute Riza ~"

"This is not the time for that. Aren't you supposed to be our leader? Half our team has already left us behind." she sighed.

"It's fine. Introduction lessons are always boring ~"

"You already came late for the initiation ceremony."

"What happens once happens twice ~"

Riza grabbed Lucy and threw her over her shoulder. "I won't let you embarrass us, leader."

"Woohooo ~" Lucy made happy sounds while being carried towards their first lesson.

**Beacon Academy - Lecture hall 1**

Professor Port was a corpulent older man with a fabulous mustache. His hair had turned gray and his round cheeks gave him a friendly aura. Despite the fact that he was trying to push awkward jokes whenever he could most students weren't disliking him. The real problem was his endless rambling about his youth though.

Weiss Schnee in the first row was getting severely annoyed by certain fools. Ruby was drawing childish pictures, balancing her stuff on her fingers and even picking her nose. One row behind her Akashi was sleeping and snoring right into her ears.

Her facial expressions reminded one of a tiger that was about to jump an annoying bird that had been picking its tail for too long.

Riza and Lucy were sitting next to Jaune and his team. She would have loved to wake Akashi up, but that would have been a lot noisier.

Way further up was team AKJA. Antonio and Kirk were sitting at the left rim, while Jasna and Alex had all the bench to themselves. Jasna was barely staying awake, but Alexandra was seriously listening to the lecture. Antonio tried to ignore Kirk's constant attempts to take pictures of sleeping girls.

When the professor asked who was a talented hunter nobody except Weiss was raising their hand.

'It must be hard to be so arrogant.' Alex pondered.

Professor Port released a caged Grimm, a Boarbatusk to be exact and told Weiss to eliminate it. It was a boar like Grimm with four red glowing eyes and bone armor all over its body.

"Interesting." Juge said while watching the fight intently. Ruby was distracting Weiss several times. She wasn't concentrating enough and it lead to her losing her weapon. The professor didn't seem to mind much.

Riza's expression became somewhat dark.

"Don't worry she is fine." Phyrra next to her whispered that. Riza didn't seem to be concerned with that though. But indeed Weiss regained her momentum and used her glyphs to stop the Grimm and stab it in the defenseless belly.

Lucy was clapping and Port congratulated her. The lesson ended with that.

"She will make a fine huntress once she learns to control her emotions better." Juge said to Akashi. The brown haired teen was yawning. He missed most of the fight, but still nodded.

"Yeah. Her shrill voice will probably kill more Grimm than her rapier though."

They stopped at the corner, because Ruby was talking to someone. It was Ozpin.

"Is she right? Did you make a mistake?"

"That remains to be seen." Ozpin said this with a smile.

"Let's not eavesdrop on them." Juge whispered and the boys left. When they reached the outside they could see Weiss talking to Professor Port.

"I think I should have become the leader of team RWBY."

"Preposterous!"

Juge's hand went through his brown hair. "Looks like we are in a tight spot."

"Maybe we should just go back." Again they returned to the other corridor. They almost bumped into Ozpin.

"Ah the young Velmón and Mr. Mayhiro. Your start at this academy has been rather rough I would say."

"Not at all." Juge shrugged.

"Nothing I can't handle." Akashi smirked.

"Youth." Ozpin took a sip from his mug. "How was your first day, gentlemen?"

"It is interesting. Reminds me a lot of the training and lessons at home." Juge said truthfully.

"Is that so? How is your father doing?"

"He told me to deny you any information about him, sir."

"Yes, that's just like him. Travis Velmón was always that type of man." Ozpin smiled wryly.

"My mother told me to tell you that he gained weight." Juge winked.

"I will remember that. And you Mr. Mayhiro?"

"It's... not that fun, yet."

"I assure you it will become more interesting even for you. Your sister told me a lot about you and that fight against the Doppelganger showed promise."

"His sister?" Now Juge got curious.

"Professor Mayhiro teaches Grimm defense and offense systems at this very academy." Ozpin elaborated. Akashi started sweating.

"O-oh yeah. Sis is a professor." he seemed to be a little unsettled.

"A great huntress. Sadly her eyesight has decreased due to an illness and now she is unable to engage in combat." The headmaster of Beacon took another sip and started walking down the hallway. "Have a nice evening young men."

They nodded and left for the dining hall.

* * *

**Beacon Academy - Dining hall**

This hall was the loudest place in the whole academy towards the evenings. Students of all years were sitting, talking and eating with much vigor.

The conversations ranged from teachers to the newest issue of certain magazines.

"Man Ms. Reville sure is sexy."

"I can't find my sword anymore..."

"You probably forgot it at the sparring ground."

"That's where I looked first!"

"Today's meals aren't that great."

At one certain table sat 4 teams, eating away. Team RWBY was kind of split today. The atmosphere between Weiss and Ruby was so awkward that Yang and Blake decided to sit between them and then Jaune and the rest of team JNPR joined them. Next to Weiss sat Alexandra and Antonio. Jasna was not far away gulping down tons of meat. Nobody had seen Kirk, but his presence was ghostly at best.

Juge and Akashi entered and were waved over by Lucy and Riza.

"Where have you been? We were blocking your seats." Riza was apparently over the events of this morning, as she let Juge sit down next to her.

"Sorry about that, Ozpin stopped us."

"The headmaster? What did you do this time?"

"Relax fluffy." Akashi laughed while putting his tray down.

"We only talked about the academy... what's with Lucy?" Juge mustered the red-head staring into space.

"She has been like that all day thanks to your... DeNoiser thing."

The boy took off his short white scarf and prepared to eat. "She will get bored of it soon."

"So... Juge was it? You are a pretty good hunter." Jaune was talking to him all of a sudden.

"Hm? I... guess so. Why do you ask?"

"N-not that I really have any need to, but would you perhaps, maybe teach me a few moves?" he seemed nervous.

"Isn't that what we are here for? To learn new techniques to defeat Grimm?" Juge stared at him. The blonde boy was certainly not the prime example of a hunter, but he seemed to have genuine interest in becoming better.

"I think it would be a wonderful idea if we taught each other some things." Phyrra was joining the conversation.

"I must admit I am very interested in seeing more of your skill." Juge smiled towards Phyrra's idea. Riza spun her fork through the noodles with an unreadable expression.

"Don't you guys find it weird that they make us fight Grimm in such a tight space?"

"Professor Port could easily eliminate a Boarbatusk that went rampant." that one came from Blake.

"That old man?" Akashi was putting a whole potato in his mouth.

"Appearances are always misleading." Antonio said this while cutting his food with elegance and accuracy.

"Though he is kind of a big talker." Blake added.

"I hope I will be next..."

"Hm did you say something Riza?"

"I hope I will be the next to kill a Grimm!" she stabbed the meatballs with her fork.

"..." Juge glanced at her, but didn't say anything.

"Choco pudding ~~" out of nowhere Lucy put a spoonful of the brown pudding into Riza's mouth.

"Mmphmmh!" Riza shook her head in surprise, but then gave in to the sweetness.

"And another ~" Lucy repeated the action.

"I- I don't want any Lu-Mmmgh!"

"Is it really that good?!" Ruby's eyes sparkled.

"You want to be fed too, my baby sister?" Yang was grinning widely and shook her own pudding in front of Ruby.

"I'm not a child anymore, Yang!" Ruby pouted.

On the other end of the table.

"So how are you holding up? You were put into the same room with that pervert after all." Weiss was talking to Alexandra.

"About that..." she looked at the girl with the long red scarf who was eating rather unrefined. "Jasna is keeping the boys under her iron rule."

"Really?"

"Yes, you noticed that Kirk isn't here? She forbid him from eating dinner, because he tried to take photos of me sleeping." Alex seemed to be happy about her teammates way of thinking.

"That sounds marvelous. So you are behaving?" she questioned Antonio.

"As well as I can." he said this while nodding his head.

"I can't believe they make men and women share a dorm room. What are they thinking?"

"I agree. It would have been easier on me if I could live in a guys room." Antonio whispered this almost inaudibly.

"Hm?" Jasna looked up. Her ears must have been from the devil himself.

"I said it is problematic for the girls who are being harassed by males. Luckily some of them can defend themselves." in an instant he switched gears.

"'amn 'ight! We have to defend us 'nst u pigs!" Jasna was talking with a full mouth again.

"Please dear Jasna. What have I told you about table manners?"

"First swallow, then talk. Got it."

Alex tilted her head. 'Who is the pig exactly?'

"Follow Ms Schnee's and Ms. Wilfred's example." He was pointing at the two who were eating with perfect manners.

"It's only natural. Etiquette is part of a heiress' training." Weiss said with confidence.

"Yes. Just like m- I mean I've learned this from my mother." Alexandra almost slipped up.

"By the way. Didn't Ozpin call you 'Wilhelmine'?" Jasna got closer to Alex. Weiss looked up.

"That's right. I almost forgot, because of the leader thing." she mustered Alex again. The girl averted her red eyes.

"I think they misspelled my name when I entered. You know how bureaucracy is."

"She is right. You wouldn't believe how many people spell my name with a 'z'." Unexpectedly Antonio came to her help.

"Is that _not_ how you spell it?" Jasna asked with a grin.

"How many years do we know each other exactly?" Antonio gave her a playful sigh and they both laughed. Alexandra joined in on purpose.

"It seems your team is alright aside from that pervert. You are quite lucky with your leader as well." Weiss took a sip from her cup.

"Ruby, Jaune, Lucy... there is a pattern. Is Ozpin picking unlikely leaders on purpose?" Alexandra agreed.

"I feel like the odd one out too, but for different reasons." Antonio said.

"What do you mean?" Blake asked him from the side.

"Ruby, Lucy and even Jaune... they all have the capabilities to become great leaders. Two of them are very skilled fighters too. I lack in both departments to my own dissatisfaction." he said it with regret, but his blue eyes weren't telling the same story.

"I saw you in action, I think you would make a great leader." Blake showed more concern than expected. Antonio kept quite for a bit.

"I'll follow Anto, even though he is a monkey. But monkeys can learn a few tricks too." she slapped him on the back which made his fork miss his mouth and instead hit Jasna's scarf.

"..." Jasna stared at him.

"..." Antonio started sweating without losing his perfect smile he slowly moved away.

"ANTO!"

"Please excuse me ladies, I have to attend to some business." he managed to say this before running away.

"They are like brother and sister." Akashi was laughing at the scene.

"You think that's how siblings work?" Weiss looked at Yang and Ruby quarreling over small stuff. "Maybe."

Not far away Jaune was talking to Phyrra and Juge.

"I am just saying that they may pick someone randomly next time."

"Don't worry. Professor Port was just testing us."

"That's exactly what I'm scared of!" Jaune mumbled. Phyrra put one hand on his shoulder.

"How about all of us have a little sparring tomorrow after lectures?"

"That sounds good." Juge nodded.

"W-well if you two really want to." Jaune flexed his arms. "Maybe I can show you one or two tricks."

"That would be nice." Phyrra said while laughing.

"Sparring?" Ruby somehow managed to pick up this one word from the conversation and was all into the idea. Yang spun her glass on her finger.

"Cool."

"I'm in!" Nora could be heard from the other end of the table. She had been bombarding Ren with a monologue for 20 minutes straight now. "You'll come too, right Ren?!"

"Uhm... sure Nora." the black-haired teen was finished eating and had listened to the others politely.

"This is getting big." Akashi had also finished eating and gave a thumbs up.

"Then we will all meet on the backyard behind the track field tomorrow." Juge set the time.

Riza who had been force fed several puddings and thus lost all appetite for her actual meal looked at them with doubt. "Have you guys asked a professor or the headmaster for permission?"

Everyone turned quiet.

"I... might know someone who can help us with that." Akashi scratched his head.

"Really?"

"Yes." he grimaced. "Though I'd rather avoid her."

**Beacon Academy - Lecture hall 2**

The next day they had their first "Grimm Defense & Offense systems" lesson. The name was ambiguous and so was the professor. She was wearing a disheveled green sweater and a tight black skirt that went down to her knees. Her hair was long, blonde and only tied loosely. She wore edgy glasses with a red frame and looked like she had just been thrown out of bed.

Later a certain group of students would find out that this suspicion was quite close to reality.

"Morning students." Her groggy looks were close to her groggy voice.

"She looks sleepy..." Riza shook her head.

"It's nice to meet you and stuff... my name is Alexis Mayhiro and I will teach you how to fight Grimm... among other things."

"Among other things?" Alexandra let her head sink in disbelief.

"Mayhiro?!" Riza stared at the teen next to her who had sunk so low in his seat that the professor could not see him.

"Quiet fluffy!" he warned her.

"So... who thinks they know how to attack an Ursa inside a forest setting while being almost dehydrated?"

'She instantly went into the lecture?'

This was the direct opposite of Professor Port's lesson who tends to talk a lot and never quite gets to the point. And this very specific setting made most students speechless.

"Nobody? What about you there symmetrical bangs boy." she pointed at Antonio.

'So rude!' Riza's eyes went empty.

"I do not really know how to act in such a peculiar situation, but maybe one should avoid fighting at all when being dehydrated?"

"Wrong. That's not what I asked sym-bangs."

'She is too lazy to finish the nickname already?!' Weiss' eyes also went white.

"Next question then. If you were..." she continued to ask students questions.

'She doesn't even tell us the correct answer?' Even Juge rubbed his forehead.

The strange lesson went on and eventually professor Mayhiro started to explain some things to her students. Looking past her personality she really seemed to know what she was talking about. After such a mixed lesson the students where dismissed and the professor laid her head on the desk as if she wanted to fall asleep again.

Akashi and the others walked over to her. The young man tried to hide his face while at the same time standing in front of everyone.

"Hm? I don't give personal lessons. Wait till the next official lecture." Her lazy aura was almost infectious.

"We are here for something else... _sis_." Akashi gave up and showed his face. Prof Mayhiro's face went through a miraculous transformation. Her eyes widened, her lips seemed to get fuller and color returned to her cheeks.

"Akky!" she hugged him hard and tried to kiss him all over the face, but he somehow managed to press her away. "I've missed you so muuuuch!" she rubbed her cheeks all over him.

The collective expression of surprise was overshadowing everyone's faces.

"S-stop it sis! Not in front of everyone." Akashi did his best to get this human octopus to let go of him.

"Not in front of everyone he says." Yang stifled a laugh.

"Is this really our professor?" Riza facepalmed.

"Boo. I see my cute little brother for the first time in months and this is how you treat me?" she faked to pout.

"I'm sorry sis, but we wanted to ask you a favor... let's celebrate our reunion later. We will see each other almost everyday now..." his voice seemed hoarse all of a sudden.

"A favor?" she asked and finally let go of her brother. Akashi dusted off his body.

"We want to spar on the academy grounds. Would you supervise us?" Akashi made a pleading gesture, but stayed far enough away to escape any sudden grappling attack.

"Hm mhm mh. I don't know if that's allowed. You could hurt each other. Also this academy was created to make you into fine hunters and huntresses. People who fight Grimm, not humans." it was plain as day that she was just pretending to worry and was actually waiting for Akashi to make a deal.

To everyone's surprise Lucy stepped forward. She wasn't wearing her headphones for once. "Pretty please ~~" she looked deeply into professor Mayhiro's eyes. They seemed to reflect each other and multiply the blue until it tinged the whole world in a sapphire color. An odd bond grew between them almost instantly. Lazy attracts lazy, it was the law of attraction.

"Aw you have such cute friends Akky!" she hugged Lucy.

'This is too close! Students shouldn't get so close to the staff.' Weiss was pulling her hair.

"Does that mean...?"

"Of course I'll help my dear little brother and his friends! Just tell me where you are going to play and I will be there."

"We are not exactly playing..."

"Thanks sis. We have to go to the next lecture now, so see you!" Akashi used the momentum to flee the lecture hall. Everybody else followed his disappearing silhouette with their eyes. Then as if snapping out of it they also started leaving hastily.

Only Lucy stayed behind, because she was still being hugged.

"You won't leave me now, will you?"

Lucy yawned and leaned her head against Alexis' huge chest.

**Beacon Academy - Lecture hall 1**

"I think we lost Lucy back there..." They whispered while sitting on the seats further back.

"Sacrifices have to be made." Akashi shrugged it off. "She _is_ our leader after all. And a leader always sacrifices for her subjects."

"What a convenient take on leadership." Riza's brow twitched.

Professor Port was in the middle of another story about his youth and how he took on his first mission as a hunter. His mustache was flapping about vigorously. Most students had empty faces and just stared straight ahead. A very basic skill one developed early on in forts of education such as this.

"... and the girl screamed quite a bit, because she had never seen a Grimm before. But using my reassuring signature smile I managed to calm the innocent maiden..."

Ruby and Jaune had started a battle of drawings. Apparently Ruby had better artistic skills as Jaune seemed to be about to give up. Surprisingly enough Weiss did not seem annoyed or at least she didn't intervene. Something had happened between her and Ruby in the time from yesterday's dinner to the current lecture. Maybe she accepted Ruby more as a leader.

On the highest seats one could see Jasna polishing her gauntlets. Antonio and Alexandra were about the only ones who seriously listened to Port at this point. Even Juge was writing down theories instead of paying attention. Kirk didn't seem to have the energy to take pictures today. His eyes were small slits and his skin pale. He resembled a half-starved dog who left its tail hanging.

"What's wrong with him?"

"I think Jasna didn't let him eat breakfast either. He must be low on nutrition." Juge didn't look up.

Riza wasn't exactly sorry for the guy. He most likely did something perverted to deserve this treatment. After a good half hour of monologuing, professor Port finally decided to involve the students again.

"So seeing how yesterday we got such promising results, I will ask again. Who thinks they have the potential to become a greater hunter or huntress?" His friendly face conveyed encouragement. This time nobody raised their hand immediately. "No volunteers? How about you Mr. Arc?" he looked at the distracted Jaune who suddenly rose from his seat in surprise.

"Y-yes, sir?"

"Splendid! If you would come to the front then young man." The expression of nervousness on the blonde boys face was pitiable. Somewhere from behind him a guy named Carden started whistling. His buddies laughed.

Before he actually made his way to the front Phyrra stood up too.

"I'm sorry sir, but I want to test myself today. Could I come to the front instead of Jaune?" Port looked at her curiously.

"Oh my. If you insist I think we can-"

"Me!" suddenly a loud voice butted in. It was Riza. She had stood up from her seat and was carrying quite the scary expression. "I want to finish this Grimm."

"Riza..." Juge focused his attention on her.

"Now, now not everyone at once!" Professor Port laughed. "I'm sure we will find another opportunity for you. Miss Nikos came first."

"No!" her voice wasn't the usual tender, sometimes resigned one, but cold and somehow angry. "I can't wait." Most students stared at her now.

"It's fine, if she wants to go, I have nothing against it." Phyrra shook her hands in a placatory way.

"If you are that eager... please come to the front then." the professor seemed confused, but did still not catch the seriousness of the situation. Riza briskly moved to the front of the hall and looked at the rattling cage that had been prepared.

"Look closely everyone, today we are going to watch Ms. Inari fight a cunning little foe. A young Taijitu!" He broke the lock and out of the cage slithered a snake like creature. It was a Grimm that almost reached up to Riza's waist. The Grimm had two heads at the ends of its body. One was white and one was black. Red glowing eyes scanned the area.

"What's that?" Jasna cocked her head and leaned towards Antonio.

"A Taijitu. It seems to be quite small and young. I saw Lie Ren fight a much bigger one at the initiation in the Emerald forest."

"What have you been doing instead of searching for me?!" she punched his arm.

Down on the mock battlefield Riza got into position. It was hard to see her face behind her hair, but Juge thought he had seen a malicious grin. The Taijitu was angry and started to vent its frustration by curling around the faunus girl. It hissed with both its heads at different directions.

Riza pressed a button and her staff extended into a spear. Ryuyari. She watched the Grimm's movements and waited for the attack. Whoever made the first move because of impatience would be at a disadvantage here.

"From the left!" Akashi yelled. And truly the white head sped ahead to bite into the blonde girl's pale neck. She spun around and rammed the blunt side of her spear into the snake's throat. The force made the body jerk back. At the same time the black head attacked from her now defenseless back. Or so it thought, because Riza was now able to use the sharp side of the spear to swing around. With the edge of the blade she managed to cut deeply into the black head's jaw and make it spit out painful sounds.

"Oho!" Professor Port was apparently amused.

"That was pretty easy." Akashi said kind of disappointed.

"It's not over. A Taijitu's main offense is not its heads." Juge watched the fight arms crossed.

In that moment the curling body closed in from all around Riza and started strangling her body. Some students gasped. The pressure was increased every second and would eventually break all her bones. Riza couldn't move her spear, as it was pressed against her body, but she managed to make it retract into a staff.

"You dirty snake..." the staff fell to the floor under the tightening Grimm. With a kick of her leg Riza activated it again and fell forward. The spear's blade cut through the Grimm's body and loosened it a little. She then grabbed both ends and ripped some of its body apart with her bare hands.

"Woah... what a beast." The remark came from Carden of course. He and his team were smiling with contempt.

The bleeding and twisting snake grim fell to the floor. In that moment the faunus caught her spear and rammed it into the attacking white head. Now the beast was pinned down and had only one wounded head left.

"Magnificent. Quite the accomplishment to free yourself after the Taijitu got a hold of your body." Professor Port was clapping and already finished with the subject, but Riza didn't respond.

She left the spear in the Grimm's body and went to the black head. With a dark aura she raised her foot and... stomped on the black head repeatedly. Again and again until there was only a wobbly mass left. She then ripped out her spear and sliced the Grimm again and again.

"That's quite enough now Ms. Inari, it is already dead." Now even Port was getting flustered.

"You stinking, rotten creature... I'm going to kill you, mutilate you...!" Riza's voice was filled with anger and disgust. She didn't let up from the slowly dissolving corpse.

"Enough." Port had appeared behind her and grabbed her arm to stop her. For a second, no just a tiny split of a second it seemed like she would resist the professor and pull her arm out of his grip. But then she gave in and stopped her movements.

Port let go of her and cleared his throat. "Uh-hum. Well the excitement of a fight to the death can result in some kind of nervous breakdown. Nobody judges you, young miss." After those words the bell rang and ended the lesson. Towards the students "Remember to look into the books I have told you about and I will see you tomorrow."

Riza walked out of the classroom as fast as possible her head lowered and hair fluttering behind her.

"What's gotten into her?" Akashi said with a clueless expression.

"..." Juge stayed quiet. He was pondering on something.

"Anyway that's it for today. Better go to the place we promised to meet sis, right?"

"Go ahead without me. I'll come a little bit later."

**Beacon Academy - Track Field**

The track field was not the usual kind with four lines going in a big semi-circle, but instead it resembled a straightforward course. It was built in a way that allowed all kinds of modifications, from muddy ground to sand to even stone plates and parkour. Using it without permission would be punished harshly.

The group made up of Jaune, Phyrra, Akashi, Ruby, Yang, Nora, Ren and Jasna arrived at the promised meeting point. Antonio, Juge and Riza were still missing. Blake, Weiss, Alexandra and Kirk weren't interested.

When they arrived they were greeted by professor Mayhiro and... Lucy. She was _still_ being hugged. They both looked like they had been napping in the afternoon sun for some time.

"Hello everyone." she yawned and got up slowly. "Do you want me to activate the track field?"

"You can do that?!" Akashi looked surprised.

"Sure." She pulled out a electronic key-card from her cleavage. "Which course would you like?" With a 'click' sound the card went into the console.

"What do you mean 'course'?" Jaune tilted his head in confusion.

"Whatever. I'll just press a random button."

"Do you really have permission to use this thing?!" Akashi started sweating.

"I got this card, don't I?"

"Answer me sis!"

"Boo. You don't trust me? How terrible of you." She pushed a button and the course changed to a wasteland with dry and lifeless ground and some rock formations.

"That. Is. So. Awesome!" Ruby yelled and her feet almost left the floor from excitement. Everyone looked at the construct with awe. Jasna was the first to jump on one of the rocks.

"This feels like the real deal!" Her smile was widening.

"Well it's not. Those are just randomly generated metal formations covered in..." Alexis gave a lengthy explanation that nobody could quite follow.

"This feels so real though ~" Yang was already sliding down a sandpile. "Let's get this started. Come over here lover-boy." she indicated Jaune to come over.

"I... uhm... okay." he moved onto the sand platform.

"The most important thing in a fight on unknown territory is to..." she activated her golden gauntlets. "...win!"

"Ahaha... really?" Jaune's hysterical levels where rising rapidly. "In that case I don't even need training." he gulped and backed off the platform. Phyrra appeared behind him and gave him a sympathetic look.

"Come Jaune show me what you can do with your sword."

"Wouldn't you rather see my shield? I can turn it into a sheath." they started talking intently.

Ruby activated her scythe _Crescent Rose_ with joy and spun it around. "Whoooo wants to be my enemy?" she asked in a fake deep voice and made a hand motion that said 'come at me'.

"I'll take you on!" Akashi faced her with fiery eyes.

"I like that look on your face." Both of them made poses. Ruby got into a defensive position while Akashi was preparing to jump.

"Feel my iron hammer of-" In the moment he went for the jump Lucy appeared next to him. "-eh?" he tripped and fell into the sand.

"Where's Riza, Aka ~?" Lucy wasn't present in professor Port's lecture. Akashi got up instantly and dusted his clothes off.

"I don't really know. She was acting strange in the last lesson and I think Juge went after her?" Lucy stared at him with her dull blue eyes. "Don't worry, they will come here soon." he grinned brightly.

"Okay ~" Lucy agreed. "How about a two on one?" She stood next to Ruby.

"Comrade!" Ruby was happy.

"You guys... I won't go easy on you!"

**Beacon Academy - Rooftop**

Riza was staring at the slowly descending orange sun. Her eyes were open, but she still couldn't see. Her mind was in the past. She had lost it again. But this burning feeling in her... a flame that could not be extinguished, a thirst that could not be quenched. It was lit by only one glimpse of those red monstrous eyes and every dead Grimm was like one droplet of rain on a burning tree. It would never stop burning, but it felt like a small relief.

Her fox ears and tail where hanging down as she looked over the campus. Somewhere down there the others were enjoying themselves. Now that everyone had seen her outburst they would probably hate her. Again.

The metal railing was cold in her hands.

"You are quite stupid,_ renard_." A male voice. From someone behind her.

"Stop calling me that... why are you here?" She didn't turn around. he was probably standing at the roof entrance.

"Why do you think?"

"To lecture me." It seemed pretty obvious. She wasn't in the mood for games. The sound of footsteps made her turn around. Juge Velmón was not standing at the entrance, but right beside her at the railing. "How did you-?" She jumped back.

"I dislike sunsets."

"...?" The sudden change of topic confused the faunus girl.

"They signify the ending of a day. But I love sunrises." He smiled slightly.

"I don't get you." She sighed and gave up.

"But I think I can understand _you _somewhat." he didn't look at her, but just viewed the landscape.

"I doubt it." her face was returning to depression.

"I've seen it many times. Hatred for Grimm. It comes in many forms." He supported his head with his hand while putting his arm on the railing. "Revenge for loved ones, revenge for losing a body part, disgust and a sense of ridicule towards nature's cruel sense of humor."

"Oh? So what do you think of me? Am I in one of your fancy categories?" Her glare was intense.

"Yes." he didn't even hesitate. "For now."

His words weren't making any sense.

"...so what? I don't care what others think. My reason doesn't matter. As long as we can kill Grimm I am content."

"But are you?" He finally turned his head towards her. "You may have lost something irreplaceable to those creatures, but does that justify your actions? Do you think killing them will improve your life? Losing yourself in your hatred for them?"

Riza looked away. She was angry and confused at the same time. Tears were gathering in her eyes.

"I... don't know!" she exclaimed painfully.

"That's a good answer." Juge patted her head with his leather-gloved hand. She only now noticed how big he was. "Nobody does. Not even the greatest hunters know if they are doing the right thing." he leaned his back on the railing, watching the roof entrance.

"Do you know...?" Somehow she felt the need to ask this man. Question his motifs, his legacy.

"I do not." his eyes were closed. "Even a Velmón only fights because he must. Our clan is very traditional, but we are not all content. Some still search for an answer." It seemed like he had wanted to say '_I _still search for the answer.'

"There you two are. This academy is quite enormous. What an irresponsible task that was given to me." Antonio appeared at the entrance. Despite his words he still had his perfect smile. "Oh? Not only the beautiful Ms. Riza, but also Juge Velmón." he cupped his chin. "Did I interfere with something?"

"O-of course not!" Riza went flailing around.

"Of course not." he repeated her words with a little snicker. "I was sent to get you two for the sparring by Akashi. He was worried about Ms. Riza." The fox faunus looked down at hearing those words.

"Well I'll be going then. Remember, I am not saying you did something wrong, but you will have to find your own answer." Juge went down the steps without another word, leaving the other two behind.

"It may not be my right to say this, but I am sure Lucy and Jasna are feeling lonely without you. I also would like to enjoy your company some more." he bowed and made a pose reminding one of a chauffeur that waited for their boss to enter the car.

Riza tilted her head in amusement. "Fine. Have you ever considered becoming a butler instead of a hunter?"

"Not at all. Do you think the Grimm are in need of some man-servants?" he acted playfully shocked. Riza had to laugh.

"Maybe if we put you into a maid outfit instead...?" they descended the stairs while joking around. After Juge's speech and Antonio's words she felt a lot better. Insecure as always, but at least someone was waiting for her.

**Beacon Academy - Track Field**

After the appearance of Riza, Juge and Antonio the situation got even messier.

"Now Jaune! Attack me with all you've got." Juge was not even holding _Morte Consumptis_ in his hands. The blonde boy was holding his sword a little awkwardly.

"Are you sure? I don't want to... hurt you..." he didn't sound too sure.

"Don't worry. I am confident in my ability to dodge." Juge looked at him with serious eyes. Jaune gulped and raised his sword.

"H-here comeeees!" He started running, sword raised over his head and swung it down. Juge didn't move even a millimeter. The swing missed and the sword got stuck in the ground.

"..." Jaune fell to his knees. Phyrra helped him up.

"You are too nervous. Maybe we should use inanimate objects first?"

"Yes... inanimate. Like all the Grimm out there." Depression was oozing out of Jaune's body.

"Stand up ~" Nora appeared and grabbed Jaune's arms spinning him a little.

"Wawawaaaah!" Jaune lost focus. Nora proceeded to pull out his sword and throw it to him.

"What are you-!" Phyrra was shocked. But somehow Jaune easily caught the sword while spinning and accidentally took a swing at Juge. The young heir to the Velmón clan barely managed to dodge the blade and even had to pull out a dagger to block the end of the blade.

"N-not bad." Juge adjusted his blue vest.

"I... I did well?"

"Yahoo ~" Nora cheered and ran all over the place back to Ren who was breathing exhaustedly. "Ren, Ren did you see? He went all like 'Waaaawaaa' and spun like a top. He reminded me of you somehow when you go all jump, kick, swooosh!"

"Yes Nora. That is amazing." he rubbed his neck. They had been sparring for a some time now. Nora's swings were brutal.

On a different rock formation...

"So whenever you get into a predicament, just use Anto as a living shield." Jasna was teaching Lucy and Riza some important things. Maybe.

"Please do not." Antonio was only a small distance away and yelled that at them before returning to the task at hand. He was talking to Ruby about her _Crescent Rose_'s functions.

"It's also a high velocity compact sniper rifle!"

"Amazing. I can barely imagine how you managed to build the barrels for the reloading chambers. And your aim must be impressive considering you do not use a visor." Ruby stared at him with her mouth wide open.

"You... you understand me!"

"Ahaha I was very observant when the weapon-smith created my umbrella." He stayed humble.

"Want to compare our accuracy?" Ruby pointed at a bunch of targets on the rocks.

"If you wish." He pressed a button on his black umbrella and the tip turned into a barrel with a reticle. Ruby stabbed her scythe into the ground, aiming the top at the targets.

They both stayed perfectly silent.

Somewhere Yang yelled something to Akashi.

That was the signal. They both shot at the two targets next to each other. A small explosion created smoke and they had to wait for the wind to blow it away.

The right target(Ruby) had a giant hole inside its middle. "Bullseye!" she pumped her fist.

The left target(Antonio) had a small hole a little to the left... and the right... and the top.

"Ooooh you have spread ammunition?"

"Indeed. Sadly it lacks in accuracy, so you won Ms. Ruby." He clapped his hands.

"Hm. But for a spread to hit this accurate from such a distance is quite amazing." She didn't seem to feel like the winner yet. "Another round, but this time only one bullet okay?"

...

As those two were continuing their contest Akashi and Yang where going at it.

"Left, right, left, right." she was hopping around like a light-footed boxer and dodged Akashi's swings. Every hit was devastating the sand and rocks. "Come on Akky. Is that all?" she stepped behind him and swiped his feet. But he managed to roll it off and hit her from the side. Yang blocked the hammer with her right gauntlet. Because of Akashi's unfavorable position the blonde girl managed to deflect his attack.

"Now this stupid nickname will catch on. Oh boy." his smile was a little forced.

"Wanna go at it a little more serious?" she winked.

"Don't you regret it!" He gathered aura in his hammer and went into gravity mode. Yang proceeded to shoot him with her shotgun gauntlets immediately. Akashi used his hammer's gravity field to keep the projectiles down.

"Now that is interesting!" Yang was doing a cartwheel to the left and then pushed herself off the ground to kick at Akashi's side. The boy ducked and grabbed her leg. She seemed to have anticipated that move though, as she already punched at his chest. At the same time the boy used a one-handed swing to bring his hammer's blade towards her. She blocked it with the other gauntlet, but now her balance was totally off. They stopped in that awkward position.

Yang's gauntlet was 5 centimeters away from Akashi's chest ready to shoot. The hammer had pressed down the protecting gauntlet and its blade was pointed at Yang's chest.

"Okay, okay that's a draw." They both let go of each other.

"That's to be expected. Ain't we holding back?"

"Yes I am. I don't know about you though." her smile was bright and confident.

...

A few meters away Riza and Lucy were fighting(?) too. More like Riza was trying to talk her into it.

"I want to see how you beat that Doppelganger. To be honest I didn't think you were that strong." Her bluntness was not supposed to be mean-spirited. Lucy was not hurt, but she wasn't getting into it either.

"But it's so exhausting ~"

"Haven't you been lazing around with professor Mayhiro all day?"

"Not lazing. Keeping her entertained."Lucy nodded seriously to her own claims.

"Lucy is the best! I wish she was my little sister too." Alexis was lying in the grass close by.

'She is so different from lectures...' Her metamorphosis was almost scary.

"I heard you fought a Taijitu ~ Was it tough?" the red-head was distracting from the fight again. But that reminded Riza of what she had done.

"I... lost my cool." she mumbled. Her friend looked at her for a few seconds and then pulled out her pack of pockys. She held it out towards her with a smile. Riza chuckled at the always similar reaction to every problem. She pulled out the bar-like sweet and noticed something. "This is the last one."

"..." Suddenly Lucy tensed up. The pocky was stuck and the faunus couldn't fully pull it out. Riza could literally see Lucy's thought process on her face. She was torn between friendship and her love for pockys.

Now Riza's fox ears twitched. She had an idea. "How about we fight for that last pocky?" a sly sparkle appeared in her amethyst eyes. The pack was laid on a rock close by and Lucy went into a serious stance.

'Almost no openings... she is serious.'

"Ready? Steady. Go!" Alexis played announcer. Riza looked at her with a bewildered expression, but that was a mistake. Lucy didn't hesitate to attack immediately.

"Ghn!" Riza barely parried her black sword with her spear, but the white one was already incoming. With high flexibility she managed to backflip over the second swing. Before landing she stabbed Ryuyari into the ground and used her momentum to spin on the handle. That way she came flying back at Lucy with a kick.

"Eh ~?" The red-head looked surprised, but in the next instant she was gone.

"What-?" Now Riza was the one being shocked. Lucy was extremely fast, but the fox girl's ears where good. She could hear Lucy's footsteps at her side and pulled out the spear to deflect a swirl of attacks. Like a whirlwind she was attacked by strike after strike until her arms felt numb from the vibrations. To get back some control she spun her spear backwards and deflected one of her opponent's katanas to the side with the lower spear half. The second one was blocked and Riza then managed to hit Lucy with her shoulder.

"Ouch ~" her best friend fell backwards and barely regained balance in time as Riza followed up her attack with a kick. Lucy blocked it with her left arm, but the impact made her loosen the grip on the katana.

"Chance!" the faunus girl grabbed Lucy's arm and twisted it only slightly, so as not to hurt her and sure enough she let go of the sword. But the head-phones wearing huntress was not fully helpless. She spun with Riza's hand and unwound herself, striking her remaining katana at Riza's defenseless back.

"**Wind slash!"** The impact of the back of Lucy's sword made Riza topple over and slide over the ground. It was painful, but due to it being the back of the sword it didn't actually hurt her.

"You are... pretty good." Both girls obviously held back a great deal. Riza didn't even activate her spears trident form and Lucy wasn't activating her aura ability. They went back into a fighting stance.

And then a burning tree hit the battlefield next to them.

"...huh?"

...

In the meantime Jasna had been playing around with the control panels. Some of the track had turned into forest territory.

"Oho! Are those real?" She stared at them until she got an idea. Releasing the blades from her gauntlets she slashed at the first tree next to her. They cut through it like butter. "Too easy. They ain't real." Disappointed she hugged the falling tree and carried it over to where Antonio and Ruby where chatting. A sadistic smile crossed her face.

"Hey Anto!" The boy turned around and was obviously surprised to see Jasna carry a whole tree with her bare hands. "Catch." she said with a wink.

"Wait, are you serious, dear Jasna?!" Even the always calm and collected Antonio showed a hint of concern. But it was too late. The tree requisite was already flying his way. Ruby next to him activated _Crescent Rose_, but Antonio pointed his umbrella at the incoming makeshift weapon and pressed a button. A rope of some sorts was shooting out of the tip and pierced through the 'tree'.

Following was a interesting combination of jumping and throwing. With fine balance he had jumped backwards onto the rock platform and then thrown his umbrella at the open territory between the sparring groups. The umbrella accelerated unnaturally and then stabbed into the ground. The tree still connected by the rope was pulled towards the anchor-like umbrella and flew away from the two.

"Woah!" Ruby's mouth went wide open in amazement. "How did you do that?"

"It wasn't a real tree. I could see the markings of paint." Antonio had one eye closed and smiled wryly.

"Aw you saw through it. I bet you could have taken the hit without a problem." Jasna put her hand behind her head and whistled.

"That's not the problem here, dear Jasna. Please do not throw things at people. That tree copy might very well have hurt an unsuspecting person. Like me."

"B-but even if it was fake, how could you divert its trajectory...?" The girl in a red cape was still not satisfied.

"That... is my special ability as you might call it. Similar to your speed or Ms Schnee's glyphs." He adjusted his well combed hair. "It's just a little sleight of hand."

"Ooooh." Ruby made an understanding expression. "Sorry, I don't get it."

"Friction. That man can control friction." A voice appeared behind them and was revealed to be Alexandra's.

"Ah Ms. Wilhelmine. Didn't you say you were not interested?" Antonio greeted her with a bow.

"Actually yes, but I am searching for our team's personal pervert. He escaped his confinement and is now running free." Her glare was cold and scary.

"Not again. I will beat 'm up if he is taking pics of cute girls again!" Jasna bumped her fists.

"About that... what exactly do you do with the photos you confiscate from him?" Alex crossed her arms.

"Those? I am keeping them of course." Jasna smiled brightly.

"Wha-!" This very direct answer made the black-haired girl lose her facade for a second.

"Don't worry! I ain't sharing them with those pigs." Her thumb pointed at Antonio behind her.

'The pig' and Alex sighed in perfect unison.

"Aaaaaah!" A yell made them turn around. The fake tree had caught fire for some reason and crumbled in the air.

...

Akashi and Yang were hitting it off rather hard now. Obviously they were both not the types to hold back.

"Hahaha dodge!" Yang shot several salves from her gauntlets. Akashi was actually able to dodge them because of his gravity manipulation. His body was extremely light right now. "Got you!" Despite this boost Yang was still extremely fast. She appeared behind Akashi and punched him in the back, followed by a roundhouse kick. The teen flew towards a cliff, but anchored himself into the ground with his hammer before crashing into it. "Is that all?" she cracked her neck tauntingly.

"Hehehe." Akashi grinned despite what happened. He held up one hand and opened it slowly. Golden locks where floating to the ground.

"!" Yang's eyes widened and an expression of extreme anger appeared on her face. Akashi was a little surprised when she literally exploded with a glowing aura that made her hair even more golden and her eyes red.

"H-hey I am sorry if I went to fa-" But Yang was already in point blank range to him. Akashi hadn't been able to follow her speed at all. The punch barely grazed his cheek and burned the air behind him. Additionally a burning shot-gun shell was skipping past his ear. Scared by that Akashi used his gravity hammer to to stop her next punch. The increased gravity made her slow down enough to be dodged again. "You seriously tried to kill me just now!"

Those words had some kind of effect as Yang actually stopped her motion. In the next second her aura disappeared and everything was normal again. She rubbed the back of her head and looked apologetic. "Sorry 'bout that. I might have lost control for a second."

'Note to self: Never touch Yang Xiao Long's hair.' It was one of those advices that were engraved into people's heads. With blazing iron.

Fire was also something that erupted from a huge projectile flying past the two. Yang's stray attack had managed to light the fake tree on fire.

"Uh-oh." They watched the flying burning destruction.

...

The impact came out of nowhere and didn't really give any of them time to react. The parts of the 'tree' scattered into shrapnel that spread in all directions. They were also on fire.

Lucy's eyes were sparking and she analyzed the trajectories of every single piece. That way she would be able to dodge them perfectly. But what about Riza and Alexis?

Alexis was in a angle that made it impossible to be hit and her eyes weren't good enough to react accordingly anyway.

Riza noticed the inferno closing in on her, but wasn't able to do anything. Even if she spun her spear fast she would only be able to deflect half of the incoming projectiles. 'No no no no!' The glowing, fiery pieces, like small scale meteorites were closing in rapidly, reflected in the faunus girl's eyes. The adrenaline inside her body made the scene feel like slow-motion. Not being able to move she would be hit, skewered, impaled by fiery spears...

An old memory surfaced, from a day of the past, a day she had sealed inside her head, to forget and to remember.

Glowing red eyes. Burning claws like comets of destruction.

A Grimm so terrifying its presence alone would inadvertently scar one's psyche.

'No. NO! NononononNO!' Her head started spinning and her limbs went cold.

"RIZA!" And in this moment of confusion one voice could be heard. A gentle voice that she got to know for such a short time. Lucy Stripes.

"?!" The girl had jumped in front of her. To protect her with her own body. Instead of protecting herself. Lucy's read hair was swaying in the wind. The shards of death were closing in. A weak smile aimed at her friend formed with her lips...

"Not again! NEVER again!" Riza snapped out of it and something clicked inside her head. She saw the flames... and beyond the flames! The fire started to swirl and change shape. Riza hugged Lucy and pressed her to the ground. But the shrapnel was glowing from green flames and disintegrated centimeters before the girls. The whole burning construct was exploding into green fire and then turned to ash.

When they opened their eyes nothing was left. It was as if it never happened.

"What the-?" Akashi and Yang had appeared on a higher platform and looked down to check if they were hurt. "That was a really bright fire. And now the thing is gone?"

Riza got up with a wobbly head and pulled Lucy onto her feet. Alexis stood behind them holding some kind of device in her hands.

"Looks like I didn't need to do anything." Her eyes were calm.

"Did you...?" Riza asked her unsteadily.

"No way. That was something entirely else." The professor shrugged. She was mustering her blonde student closely.

Shortly after the others appeared.

"What happened?" Juge asked immediately. After everyone explained their part they somehow pieced together the events.

"Shit. I almost hurt you two!" Jasna's voice was filled with regret and she hugged Lucy and Riza.

"I-it's alright. Nothing happened."

"Looks like we went overboard." Akashi and Yang apologized too.

"Now, now. Nobody got harmed and in the end it was really just my fault. Had I merely destroyed the tree instead of redirecting it none of this would have happened." Antonio made a serious expression.

"Alright this is annoying me." Alexis scratched her head and grabbed all four of them. "You guys will just help me clean up this mess - and hide the evidence - so we can forget about this and return to our normal lives. It's getting late anyway, so the others can go."

"Did she just say 'hide the evidence?" Alexandra looked worried.

"Sis, you so weren't allowed to use this place..."

"Shut up and help me Akky. Your big sister could lose her job you know." With ape like motions she grappled onto Akashi.

"Get off of me!" he shook his body to loosen her grip, but without good results.

"Uhm... I could help?" Ruby volunteered.

"Nope. Only the ones at fault should be punished." Alexis adjusted her glasses all business like.

"I think Weiss Schnee wanted to talk to the whole team RWBY." Alexandra told Ruby and Yang.

"Are you two really okay? Maybe you should get some rest. People sometimes don't notice their shocked state immediately." Juge was already escorting Riza and Lucy to the academy.

"I... still got homework to do!" Jaune added.

"Really? Me too!" Nora laughed and clapped Jaune's back. "Let's all do it together, right Ren?" And thus team JNPR disappeared as well.

Jasna, Antonio and Akashi remained.

"Wait where is Yang?!" The brown-haired boy scanned the area.

"She went with her sister."

"Okay everyone. I want you to help me clean up this place and look if anything was damaged..."

**Beacon Academy - Dorm Rooms**

Way later that evening Akashi finally returned to the dorm rooms. The rest of team LARJ was relaxing inside the room already.

"Thanks for leaving me behind guys." he sighed.

"A little workout wouldn't harm you." Juge smirked.

"Riiight." he hung his hammer to the wall on the loose nails.

Riza was sitting on her bed quietly staring at the ceiling. Something had happened when they were about to be hit. She couldn't really tell what, but it felt like it was connected to herself. It probably had to do with that memory. Why was she remembering this stuff more and more often recently? Possibly because of her contact with Grimm. The hatred was strong, but she could barely remember the incident. Seeing even such a glimpse of her despair back then was unnerving.

Whatever it was, she had not seen the last of it.

"Mhmhmm ~" Lucy was listening to music again, using Juge's device with her headphones. She didn't seem to feel any emotional turmoil after the events of this afternoon. Her selflessness had left a deep impact on the fox faunus once again.

Something was growing inside her... something other than hatred and a feeling of being lost.

A fizzing sound went through the room and everybody looked at Lucy. The headphones had started crackling and then smoking.

"Lucy, you are on fire!" Akashi's strangely put words gave the situation something comedic.

"Eeeeh?" she pulled of the device and looked at it. The sounds where increasing and it suddenly plopped open, emitting smoke. "They are broken ~" her eyes filled with tears.

"W-well that's sad, but I don't really needed them anyway, so no reason to cry..." Juge tried to comfort her, but instead she rammed him and threw him on his bed.

"Can you repair them? I never had such a wonderful enclosed dimension!" The red-head was pushing the head-phones against him and gave him a hopeful stare.

"S-sorry, but I wouldn't know how... maybe my uncle could..." he tried to gently push her off of him, but they lost balance and Lucy tripped over to Akashi. They bumped heads and the teen lost the grip on his hammer. It hit the wall and somehow activated it's gravity effect.

"This is ba-" With a deafening sound the wall crumbled under the pressure. The pieces rained down on the person that sat behind it on the other side, Lie Ren.

Jaune jumped up to his bed with a scared expression, while Nora poked the buried Ren. Phyrra looked at the mess from afar.

"Uh... hi?"

...

Even later that evening the staff had looked at the mess. Glynda Goodwitch had been informed as well and Team LARJ was scolded. Akashi's hammer was confiscated for the time being until further notice. For the time being team JNPR and LARJ would have to share rooms.

Ren had meanwhile been dug out from the rubble. His shoulders where hanging with pain and exhaustion. Surprisingly another body was found.

"Kirk D. Fire?" Juge tilted his head.

"When did he come in?!" Jaune looked at him curiously.

"He was taking pictures of Phyrra behind her bed." Nora said this as if it was natural.

"O-of me? Why didn't you tell us?" Her hair was not the only thing glowing red for once.

"I am sorry for the complications. Do you think we could live together for a while?" Riza felt really apologetic despite it being Lucy's and Akashi's fault.

"No, that's fine. It feels like a big sleepover, doesn't it?" Jaune grinned charmingly at the two new girls that had joined.

"Yeah, we could,like , play games and stay up all night." Nora was already lying on Lucy's bed, shaking her legs, in team LARJ's room.

"Sounds nice." Akashi nodded and picked up the knocked out turquoise haired boy at his feet. "I am going to return him to his owner now." he waved and left the room... _double-room_ through the original LARJ door.

...

Out in the hallway Akashi went around a corner and lightly slapped Kirk awake. The small teen opened his beautiful eyes fast. Apparently he had been faking his sleep.

"Save?"

"Hopefully. Do you have the pictures?" Akashi whispered in a conspiratorially tone. Kirk raised his hand forming a circle with his thumb and index finger.

"Good merchandise."

"How much?"

"Discount for regulars."

"Awesome. You are a true friend." They exchanged two brown packages. Akashi looked inside his. "Great stuff."

"Thank you for patronage." Kirk looked at the ends of a few money bills.


End file.
